DHAKA: Sixty percent of underground water in China which is officially monitored is too polluted to drink directly, state media have reported, underlining the country’s grave environmental problems.

Water quality measured in 203 cities across the country last year rated ‘very poor’ or ‘relatively poor’ in an annual survey released by the Ministry of Land and Resources, the official Xinhua news agency said late Tuesday, The Straits Times publishes this report on Wednesday.

Water rated ‘relatively’ poor quality cannot be used for drinking without prior treatment, while water of ‘very’ poor quality cannot be used as a source of drinking water, the report said.

The proportion of water not suitable for direct drinking rose from 57.4 percent from 2012, it said.

BDST: 1245 HRS, APR 23, 2014