Importance and vulnerability of lakes and reservoirs supporting drinking water in China

river (30.8%) and groundwater (28.6%) in China. Lakes and reservoirs are particularly important in the densely populated eastern region, where they are used as drinking water sources by 51.0% of the population (318 million). Moreover, the contribution to the drinking water supply from lakes and reservoirs is increasing due to their better water quality and many cross-regional water transfer projects. These results will be useful for the government to improve and optimize the establishment of centralized drinking water sources, which provide safe and clean drinking water in China to safeguard people's lives and health and realize sustainable development goals.