New channel in huge south-north water transfer project to bring relief to parched Beijing
Arid capital to see water supply boosted by nearly half as latest phase of vast South-North Water Diversion Project prepares to enter operation but challenges will remain in future
Beijing’s water supply will be increased by nearly 50 per cent when the latest section of the vast South-North Water Diversion Project enters operation, the Beijing News reported.
The middle route of the water transfer project will bring 1.05 billion cubic metres of water annually to the parched capital from Danjiangkou reservoir in Hubei province – boosting per capita water resources by 50 cubic metres, or nearly half, according to Jiang Chunqin from Beijing’s water transfer office.
After 11 years, construction of the 80 km long channels in the Beijing section have been completed and are now ready to transport water. A trial run of the full middle route is expected to start next month.
The water will bring a relief to Beijing, a city struggling with a worsening water crisis owing to falling rainfall and a sharp rise in demand as the population has soared since 1999, Jiang said.
“Over extraction of groundwater has already led to subsidence of land and the drying up of rivers,” said Jiang, adding that in suburban areas including Huairou, Pinggu and Changping disctricts, there was almost no groundwater to be extracted, even in cases of emergency.
The diverted water is critical in replenishing the city’s water resources.