Plan in pipeline to save groundwater

China is set to carry out a new plan to protect groundwater resources as the authorities try to cope with a mounting challenge of excessive use in most provincial areas, a government official said on Monday.

A national plan on the use and protection of groundwater will soon be rolled out by the central government, Qi Bingqiang, an official with the Ministry of Water Resources, said at a news conference.

The plan will state clearly the concrete target of the groundwater exploitation of each provincial area. It will also set specific targets for the reduction of overuse in areas where the problem exists.