Water quality will be given priority in China's gigantic project to transfer water from the Yangtze River basin to the thirsty northern Yellow River and Huaihe River areas, officials said.

Premier Zhu Rongji has urged that the huge water diversion project be designed to save water, prevent pollution and protect the environment.

The project was initiated to ease the water shortage in northern China, where Beijing and Tianjin municipalities as well as Hebei, Henan and Shandong provinces, are located.

"The quality of the water diverted from the south to the north will determine whether the project is a success or failure," said Weng Lida, director of the Yangtze River Water Resources Protection Bureau.

Weng said the quality of the water's source should be guaranteed, and water pollution during the diversion process should be prevented.

The Ministry of Water Resources said it will treat polluted water before diverting the water northward.

The ministry made the pledge yesterday when reporting on the status of the project to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress.

The ministry has conducted water treatment research on the three water diverting lines that the project will be conducted through.

The water treatment capacity of northern provinces will also be enhanced to ensure that people in the north drink clean water, ministry officials said.

Major northern cities including Beijing and Tianjin are expected to be able to treat 8.5 billion cubic meters per year by 2010, ministry figures showed.

Among the polluted water to be treated, half will be used in agricultural irrigation, one-fourth will be used for urban industrial purposes and the rest will be used to improve the environment.

(China Daily February 27, 2002)