Water, Water, Everywhere. What Will They Think of Next?

I don't think I will ever understand the logic behind many of China's Olympic preparations, but that doesn't mean that I will ever cease to be amazed by the latest and greatest plan to ensure the greatest event in the history of the world.

Even when you think the planning is complete, China introduces something new into the mix.  Taxi drivers in Beijing can no longer have red hair or offensive body odors in order to better welcome tourists.  People now have heavy fines for spitting in public, and every 11th of the month, citizens must stand in line in order to promote a more polite culture. 

I used to think that only God could control the weather, but that doesn't mean people don't want to tweak it.  Beijing organizers are forcing rain a few days before the Opening ceremonies so that blue skies will abound.  They're reducing the number of cars that can move throughout the city during the Games to minimize traffic and pollution so that everyone can breathe more easily.

Granted, with a $40 billion dollar investment in the Olympic venues alone, and about $60 billion in overall city improvements, I can see why they wouldn't want to leave anything to chanc.e  So, perhaps the latest Olympic safeguard shouldn't be much of a surprise: during the Games, 16,000 athletes and officials will have clean drinking water.

How will this happen?  From March 1 to March 20, China will divert about 41 billion gallons of water from the Yellow River into Lake Baiyangdian near Beijing.  This water will join water that had already been diverted last month.

While it's a wonderful luxury to be able to turn on the tap to delicious drinking water, this new endeavor has done more to highlight China's water shortage than to showcase Beijing's tremendous resources.

Low rainfalls and droughts have left Chinese citizens water resources equal to 1/30 the world's average, and many farmers aren't able to produce sufficient crops.  Some farmers say the water diversion to Beijing has cost them some crops, but the interests of the state are often greater than their individual needs. 

One of the chief causes of the water shortages, increased development, isn't likely to slow down any time soon, so Chinese scientists will need to find innovative ways to maximize their water resources. 

Determining how China can increase its water supply, while simultaneously reducing air pollution, and increasing development, is no easy task.  On the other hand, if Chinese leaders can figure out a way to use cloud seeding to produce rain before the Opening Ceremonies, or find a way to end foul-smelling cabs, anything's possible.