Another 3.5 million residents in Shanghai started receiving purer water from Qingcaosha Reservoir yesterday, as the new water source was fully put to use.

Water pumped from the reservoir on Changxing Island of Chongming County flowed into the Changqiao water plant in Xuhui District yesterday morning.

From there the cleaner water from the Yangtze River was forwarded to some 3.5 million residents in Xuhui, Changning, Putuo, Jing'an, Luwan and part of Minhang districts.

Tap water in downtown areas, the Pudong New Area and Changxing and Hengsha islands is already supplied by the Qingcaosha Reservoir.

About 70 percent of the city's population now gets its tap water from the Yangtze River.

The water safety of Qingcaosha is secured through a comprehensive monitoring system to prevent any pollution inside the reservoir, according to Shanghai Chengtou Group, operator of the reservoir.

With a total capacity of 438 million cubic meters, Qingcaosha is able to provide the city's water supply for 68 days without intaking any water from the Yangtze.