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Water, water, everywhere but ... By Peng Yining and Li Yingqing in Kunming, and Hu Yongqi in Beijing (China Daily)Updated: 2010-03-30 07:32 Lack of government spending in water conservancy projects exacerbates drought. Peng Yining and Li Yingqing in Kunming, and Hu Yongqi in Beijing report. With about 1,000 rivers and lakes, Yunnan ranks third in China when it comes to water resources. It also wins bronze for its annual average rainfall. So in a region with such natural abundance, why are millions continuing to thirst as the southwest suffers its worst drought in 100 years? For some, the answer is easy: It is because of this wealth of resources. In the past, we always thought Yunnan was rich in water resources, so the authorities ignored the importance of water conservation projects, particularly in rural areas, said Zhang Pengxiang, a high-ranking publicity official for Shilin county. We always expected the rainfall to provide all our irrigation water. Now theres a drought, the losses have been huge. Water conservation has very much been an afterthought for many in the province, leading to a lack of investment in preparing for the disaster, say analysts. Although the province boasts 222 billion cubic meters in water resources, just 6.9 percent is being exploited, less than a third of the national average, according to official figures. The drought has taught us a serious lesson: The importance of the construction of water conservancy facilities in the countryside, said Wang Shizong, deputy director of the Yunnan Water Conservancy Bureau. Despite a huge amount of rivers and lakes, most resources are unavailable without appropriate water conservancy, especially in the mountains that make up 94 percent of the province. In rural areas, most people still rely on rainfall for their drinking and irrigation water. Yunnan receives an average of 1,200 mm of rain every year. However, 80 percent of that comes in the wet season, May to October, leaving residents vulnerable to