China's northern port city of Tianjin has expanded its use of desalinated seawater for the three-day New Year holiday, as it deals with an acute water shortage.

The city increased its daily supply of desalinated seawater -- to 30,000 tonnes from 8,000 tonnes -- for about 170,000 residents in Hangu District and Binhai New Area of Tianjin, a spokesman with the area's government said Tuesday.

"It was the first time a Chinese city has transported a large quantity of desalinated seawater through its current water supply network," said the spokesman.

The first stage of the city's seawater desalination project -- the country's largest to date -- begun officially supplying Hangu residents in late October, after a four-month trial operation, said Guo Qigang, general manager of the Tianjin Beijiang Power Plant, which was in charge of the project.

The facilities process 100,000 tonnes of water per day and test results show the water quality meeting national drinking water standards, Guo said, adding that the plant's processing capacity will double by the end of 2011.

The second stage of the project is expected to be completed by 2015, taking total desalination capacity to 400,000 tonnes per day, he said.

Tianjin suffers a severe water shortage. It has launched several projects to divert water from the Yellow and Luanhe rivers into the city.

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