An emergency water supply that can supply 900,000 people has been established in Nanjing in East China's Jiangsu province.

The water will come from 90 meters underground in Nanjing's Luhe district, to provide bottled water that can be supplied quickly in case of natural disasters or pollution.

It is Nanjing's first emergency water supply, but it falls well short of what the city, with a population of more than 8 million, requires, said Li Xiaoqing, an official from Jiangsu Provincial Development and Reform Commission.

Among the 660 cities in China, more than 400 lack water and 110 face severe shortage, said Li.

Li said that Nanjing will speed up the establishment of water supplies, and is planning to build another two during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15).

Contact the writers at cangwei@chinadaily.com.cn and songwenwei@chinadaily.com.cn