Companies are reluctant to switch from the cheaper water that can be pumped from rivers, lakes and aquifers, even though these traditional sources are straining from decades of overutilisation.    From Wordnik.com.  [Can the sea solve China's water crisis?] Reference

Threats to China’s biodiversity come from several sources: uncontrolled deforestation, desertification, overgrazing of rangelands, overexploitation and use of animal and plant resources, atmospheric pollution, poor protection and overutilisation of water resources in arid and semi-arid regions, invasive plants and animals, overfishing, water pollution, and adverse effects of tourism, mining, wetland reclamation and other human activities.    From Wordnik.com.  [When a Billion Chinese Jump] Reference