Environment vs economy is a delicate balance in northeast Liaoning province

Environmental protection can be balanced with the need to stimulate a local economy, especially when constrained resources prompt a government to plan ahead, as is the case in Liaoning province.

Liaoning's average per capita water capacity is only 800 cubic meters, about one-third of the national level, which in turn is just 28 percent of the world level.

Lacking sufficient, convenient surface water, local people and industries have been using wells.