Beijing anticipates continued drought

Beijing announced that water levels at two city reservoirs have reached their lowest points in history and that artificial rainmaking efforts were planned to be stepped up to reduce the shortage. Officials said Beijing is facing its sixth year of drought and meteorologists predicted that precipitation between the rainy months of June through August would only reach 400-450 millimeters, much lower than the previous decade's 580 millimeter average over the same period. Beijing recently announced increased water prices and new regulations for businesses that use large amounts of water.