The central route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has channeled 2 billion cubic meters of water to Hebei province as of April 19, playing a vital role in securing water supply, improving ecological environment, and promoting economic development in the province.

Areas covered by the diverted water include Shijiazhuang, Langfang, Baoding, Cangzhou, Hengshui, Xingtai and Handan, as well as 92 counties. The diverted water not only serves as the main source of water for seven cities, but also improves water quality with lower content of fluorine and lower level of alkalinity.

Buludian village in Handan city is notorious for the high content of fluorine in its water. The villagers, who used to drink well water, said the diverted water tastes much better.

By 2020, the population drinking from the diverted water will surpass 30 million in the province.

The main canal in the province has become a 465-kilometer-long green corridor. The diverted water has replenished rivers such as the Hutuo River, the Qili River and the Fuyang River.

Diverted water supplies 70 percent of the city’s network of water pipelines in Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hubei.

Since 2015, the city has been replenished mainly by the water diversion project, which has replaced underground water as the main source of water.

In recent years, the increased use of diverted water in the city has led to the recovery of underground water.

As a major water user, Xushui Economic Development Zone previously drew water from underground and self-built wells. The overexploitation of groundwater and the decrease of groundwater level in neighboring areas led to lower water levels and decreased water consumption in the development zone.

The situation improved last January due to the water diversion project. After the local water department set up a water plant near the zone, water from the Yangtze River suppled sufficient water to the development zone. At present, more than 10 enterprises in the zone are using the diverted water, and other enterprises are gradually connecting their pipelines to the water diversion project and closing self-built wells.

The central route of the water diversion project runs through the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, creating a new water pathway for the region. The water diversion project connects river systems in the region to realize the coordinated use of water resources, ensuring water resources for the coordinated development of the region as well as the water supply of Xiongan New Area.

*Original article online at http://www.china.org.cn/waterdiversion/local/2018-04/24/content_50957643.htm

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