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.
"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.
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.
(China
Daily February 27, 2002)