The reason is that there is a water shortage happening there. They needed to conserve water and be supplied from sources. Right now there are strict measures in the use of water in that area to ensure that it does not go to waste.
It could be stated some of this was due to the start of the 2nd world war, but one of the bigger parts would be the smuggling of alcohol on the black market and the large amount of different religions, currently flooding in in such a large wave.
Declaration of Independence
The Civilization got it start in China at ~~ The Yellow and Yangtze River Valleys.
