The Chinese central government has earmarked 4 million yuan, or US$500,000, to foster a water treatment project in Baiyangdian, the largest freshwater lake in north China.

 

Anxin County in Hebei Province neighboring Beijing has got the go-ahead from the central government to carry out a sewage treatment project in the Baiyangdian wetland nature reserve that is known as the "bright pearl of north China".

 

The project, which is aimed at treating sewage let off by local industries and purifying the lake water to improve the ecological environment, will cost about 7.5 million yuan (US$937,500) and has been included in the country's blueprint to harness water pollution along the Haihe River and improve the ecosystem in the Baiyangdian lake.

 

The water treatment project will reduce the density of organic pollutants and remove some nutriment and heavy metals contained in the lake water. It is designed to treat 30,000 tons of water daily.

 

Baiyangdian, a maze of reed-lined waterways two hours' drive south of Beijing, covers about 370 square kilometers and consists of 143 lakes. It provides clean fresh water to millions of people in Beijing and Tianjin municipalities and helps balance the local ecology.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2006)