Beijing, Apr 24 (IANS): The Chinese capital is expected to face an acute water shortage this year, said authorities.

Beijing is expected to face a water shortage of 1.3 billion cubic metres in 2012, accounting for a third of the city's annual water usage, reported Xinhua.

The government will work to keep the capital's water consumption within 3.7 billion cubic metres this year, as only 2.4 billion cubic metres will be supplied by local water resources, Cheng Jing, head of the Beijing Water Authority, said Monday.

The gap is expected to be bridged via a combination of measures, including the use of recycled water, water diversion and moderate exploitation of underground water, Cheng said.

Beijing has been plagued by droughts for 13 consecutive years, with its fast-paced economic development and ever-growing population exacerbating the water shortage, according to Cheng.

Authorities have tightened water management by setting a ceiling for the city's annual water consumption at 4 billion cubic metres by 2015.