China's government said its water is far more polluted and itsindustry is producing far more waste than previously realized,according to a major study.

China's first official nationwide census of pollution sources,issued Feb. 8, found that the pollution discharged into the watertotaled 30.3 metric tons in 2007--more than double the 13.8 metrictons reported for that year in a report from 2 year ago, where thegovernment claimed water pollution had declined 3 percent.

Zhang Lijun, vice minister for environmental protection, saidthe huge increase reflected the census' more accurate measurements,which now include wastewater. The numbers reflect the need forChina to clean up its waterways: The country estimates its waterhas the natural ability to safely absorb about 7 million tonsannually.

The data also reports that China is producing far moreindustrial waste than previously reported. Industrial solid wastetotaled 49.14 million tons in 2007--more than triple the earlierfigures from the same year.

Read more about China's pollution in an article from the WallStreet Journal.