KUNMING, Yunnan – Students in a Chinese college are given electronic passes to access the toilet flushing facilities on campus, in a bid to conserve water.
Each student at Kunming Health Vocational College in Yunnan province is assigned 3,000 litres (650 gallons) of water per month on a preloaded card which must be swiped to use the toilets, Chuncheng Evening News reports.
If they go over that quota then they will have to pay extra, although the amount isn’t specified.
The bizarre move comes as Yunnan has endured repeated droughts in recent years. Experts in China say changing rainfall patterns are causing the problem, while climatologists say it could get worse over the next 20 years.
Some users are shocked by the idea or think it’s a waste of money, although others feel it’s reasonable considering the water shortages.
Several are worried about the potentially smelly consequences of the quota.
