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Physical Sciences › Engineering › Ocean Engineering
Pollution exacerbates China's water scarcity and its regional inequality
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Conflicts of Interest
Identified Weaknesses
Rating Explanation
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Paper Summary
Paperzilla title
China's Water Woes: It's Not Just Quantity, Quality Matters Too!
This study reveals that inadequate water quality significantly exacerbates China's water scarcity, especially in North China, which experiences year-round scarcity. South China, despite sufficient water quantity, faces seasonal scarcity due to poor quality. This highlights the urgent need for integrated water quantity and quality management in China.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified
Identified Weaknesses
Lack of Groundwater Quality Data
The study acknowledges a lack of nationwide groundwater quality data, potentially leading to an underestimation of water scarcity in regions reliant on groundwater with better quality than surface water.
Proxy Quality Measure
The reliance on surface water quality as a proxy for both surface and groundwater quality for various uses may not accurately reflect the reality in areas where groundwater is significantly exploited and of differing quality.
Exclusion of Water Transfers
The study does not account for water transfers across basins, which could influence water scarcity conditions in both source and receiving basins.
Fixed EFR Proportion
Using a fixed proportion of EFR for seasonal and monthly analysis, while consistent with annual analysis, does not capture the potential influence of seasonal variability in EFR on water scarcity.
Rating Explanation
This is a strong study that highlights the significant impact of water quality on water scarcity in China using a comprehensive nationwide assessment and various spatial and temporal scales. The detailed analysis and quality-inclusive approach are commendable, providing valuable insights for policy-making. The limitations regarding groundwater data and water transfers do not significantly detract from the overall strength and value of the research.
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File Information
Original Title:
Pollution exacerbates China's water scarcity and its regional inequality
File Name:
s41467-020-14532-5.pdf
[download]
File Size:
2.52 MB
Uploaded:
July 14, 2025 at 06:45 AM
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