A huge water project which aims to throw a lifeline to North China residents has won approval for its technical detail.

Preparatory work for the trans-regional South-to-North Water Transfer Project has met the technical requirements ahead of construction later this year, said Zhang Jiyao, vice-minister of water resources.

"Consensus has been reached on all aspects of the project, including priorities, layout, water-pollution controls, water-saving measures, protection of ecosystems, investment shares and water pricing," Zhang said.

Problems which threatened the construction of the middle route of the project have been ironed out, said Tang Yuanchang, who will mastermind building work in that section.

Workers are now waiting for the signal from the central government to break ground on the scheme.

The first task is to heighten the dam of the Danjiangkou Reservoir from 157 meters to 170 meters to enlarge storage capacity to 29.05 billion cubic meters from the current level of 11.6 billion.

The reservoir will then extend another 324 square kilometers, affecting more than 250,000 people in Shiyan of Hubei Province and Xichuan County in Henan Province.

Tang, who heads Hanjiang Water Resources and Hydropower (Group) Co Ltd, was quoted by Xinhua as saying his company has completed preparatory work which includes the displacement of more than 2,000 residents.

Built in 1966, the reservoir was the largest water control project in China at that time.

It will be the source for the ambitious water diversion project, said Tang.

According to plans drafted last year, the expanded Danjiangkou Reservoir will provide 9.5 billion cubic metres of water annually to Beijing, Tianjin, and cities in Hebei, Henan and Hubei provinces.

It will be able to provide 13-14 billion cubic meters by 2030.

Tang ruled out the possibility that the water project, after being diverted to the North, will impact on water utilization along the middle and lower reaches of Hangjiang River.

This is because water volume during the flood season from July to September accounts for 50 per cent of the annual discharge.

Water levels of the Hanjiang along its lower reaches will be raised to guarantee shipping.

The project, which was first proposed in 1958, aims to divert water from the South to the North to ensure the water supply for farming and industry in northern China, where water shortage is restricting the sustainable development of the economy.

After 40 years of investigation and analysis, the project will have three water diversion routes: the east route, middle route and west route.

The three planned routes are designed to connect the Yangtze with the three largest rivers in the North: the Yellow, the Huaihe and the Haihe rivers.

The construction of each route will be carried out in three phases, Zhang said.

The first and second phases of the east route and the first phase of the middle route will be constructed by 2010.

Total cost of this work will be more than 180 billion yuan (US$22 billion), Zhang said.

Construction of the west route -- the largest of the three -- will cost more than 300 billion yuan (US$36 billion), he added.

The central government will provide 60 per cent of the total investment, with the rest coming from local authorities which will benefit from the project, the report stated.

Part of the investment from local governments may be raised by gradually increasing present water-use charges, it stated.

(China Daily July 22, 2002)