Quality Key to Diverted Water Project: Premier Zhu

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, February 28, 2002

Quality Key to Diverted Water Project: Premier Zhu

Water quality will be given priority in China's gigantic project to transfer water from the Yangtze River basin to the thirsty northern Yellow River and Huaihe River areas. The Yangtze River Water Resources Protection Bureau said the quality of the water's source should be guaranteed, and water pollution during the diversion process should be prevented.

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Water diversion project to be launched

Water quality will be given priority in China's gigantic project to transfer water from the Yangtze River basin to the thirsty northern Yellow River and Huaihe River areas, officials said.

Premier Zhu Rongji has urged that the huge water diversion project be designed to save water, prevent pollution and protect the environment.

The project was initiated to ease the water shortage in northern China, where Beijing and Tianjin municipalities as well as Hebei, Henan and Shandong provinces, are located.

Quality of water given priority

"The quality of the water diverted from the south to the north will determine whether the project is a success or failure," said Weng Lida, director of the Yangtze River Water Resources Protection Bureau.

Weng said the quality of the water's source should be guaranteed, and water pollution during the diversion process should be prevented.

The Ministry of Water Resources said it will treat polluted water before diverting the water northward.

The ministry made the pledge yesterday when reporting on the status of the project to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress.

Water treatment research conducted

The ministry has conducted water treatment research on the three water diverting lines that the project will be conducted through.

The water treatment capacity of northern provinces will also be enhanced to ensure that people in the north drink clean water, ministry officials said.

Major northern cities including Beijing and Tianjin are expected to be able to treat 8.5 billion cubic meters per year by 2010, ministry figures showed.

Among the polluted water to be treated, half will be used in agricultural irrigation, one-fourth will be used for urban industrial purposes and the rest will be used to improve the environment.

South-North Water Diversion Project

"Step up preparation work of South-to-North Water Transfer Project and start its construction as early as possible in the Tenth Five-year Plan " was raised in the "Tenth Five-year Plan for National Economic and Social Development" passed by the NPC. Being an important infrastructure of alleviating water shortage in North China, South-to-North Water Transfer Project attracts widespread attention both at home and abroad.

No Polluted Water 'to Be Transported'

The preparation work of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project has met the technical requirements for the start of construction in 2002, said Zhang Jiyao, vice minister of Water Resources.

Aim of the project, the project, which grew from a strategy first bandied about in 1958, aims to divert water from the south to the north of China soas to ensure the water supply for farming and industry there.

Chinese experts have approved the country's ambitious south-to-north water diversion plan, paying the way for the start of the construction work as early as next year.

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