NANJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's reservoirs have witnessed a total increase in storage capacity of approximately 470 billion cubic meters, or 90.8 percent, since the year 2000.

The results were published in a research article in Science Bulletin, noting that the reservoirs have significantly enhanced the available freshwater resources for drinking water.

The study found that there were 2,670 lakes and 5,156 reservoirs each with an area of more than one square kilometer nationwide.

Since 2000, the major water conservancy infrastructure projects have significantly promoted the available freshwater resources in lakes and reservoirs, enhancing the safety of drinking-water sources.

The levels of nitrogen-phosphorus nutrients and biochemical oxygen demand have notably decreased, according to the study, while the apparent rise of dissolved oxygen indicates a continuous improvement in the water quality of lakes and reservoirs.

From 2016 to 2023, the percentage of lakes and reservoirs categorized as centralized drinking water sources has increased consistently, the research article noted. This progress has enabled 561.4 million urban residents to access improved drinking-water sources in 2022, compared to 303.4 million in 2004.

In addition, algal blooms have been markedly alleviated across the country over the past four years.

The study was jointly conducted by the researchers from the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, China National Environmental Monitoring Center, and Bangor University in Britain. Enditem

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