Even though the completion of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project will bring 44.8 billion cubic meters of water each year to the parched northern regions of China, government officials are encouraging residents to focus on saving the precious resource.

"The original principle of water supply being determined by demand should be inverted, and top priority should be given to water conservation," said Zhang Jiyao, director of the project construction committee under the State Council, to Outlook Weekly.

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is a multi-billion dollar national scheme that was first proposed in 1952 to solve the north's chronic water shortages. It will ultimately connect the country's four main rivers – the Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow and Haihe – via three channels of canals, pipes and pumping stations.

China ranks 143rd in the world in the amount of water available to its residents – 2,200 cubic meters per person. In the north, the figure is even lower: the region has 64 percent of the country's cultivated land but only 19 percent of the country's water resources.

"We once focused on making full use of water and avoiding floods, but ignored its protection," Zhang said. "To maintain a sustainable development, we need to reflect our thoughts and adopt a more scientific approach."

He said residents in the 44 cities involved in the project should remember that water conservation should be the priority, followed by water recycling and reduced dependence on groundwater. Water diversion should be the last resort, which is why cities should minimize their water demands and consumption, he added.

"If everyone changed their way of thinking, the opportunity for saving water can be great," Zhang said.

Zhang said the potential for water savings in Beijing are especially high. Despite having some of the highest water prices in the country, the capital city still produces a "severe" amount of wastewater.

The diverted water supply will not provide any economic relief for residents, either. The operation of the new channels will raise prices, which will be determined by local water management companies. Beijing has already been gradually raising water prices to avoid a big price jump when the project is completed.

Construction of the eastern route began in December 2002, and construction of the central route began a year later. The projects have been hit with delays, and the central route will not be ready until at least 2014. The western route, meant to replenish the Yellow River with water from the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, is still being planned.