Off the wire
• UN envoy condemns Mogadishu hotel attacks as death toll rises to 12  • News Analysis: Modi-Sharif meeting breakthrough in India-Pakistan ties  • Italy's Renzi says hopeful on Greek deal before Sunday's EU summit  • Sri Lanka's ruling party to expand development projects after polls  • Atleast 30 injured in bus collision in Sri Lanka  • China Voice: Don't politicize illegal immigration  • Landmine casualties in Cambodia down 36 pct in 5 months of 2015  • 1st LD,Writethru: Eurogroup confirms receiving assessment of Greek bailout proposal  • Myanmar extends new contract with foreign coach  • 2nd Ld: Typhoon Chan-Hom lands in E China, wreaks havoc  
You are here: 　 Home

Lanzhou to build new headwaters to avoid contamination

Xinhua, July 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

China's northwestern city of Lanzhou, infamous for its tap water contamination incidents, will invest 5.687 billion yuan (929 million U.S. dollars) to channel headwaters to ensure water safety, local authorities said Saturday.

The project, expected to be completed by the end of 2016, will divert water from Liujiaxia Reservoir in Yongjing County, which is 75 km away from Lanzhou, said Yang Hongxin, head of Lanzhou Headwaters Construction Project Office.

The project includes a water diversion project, a water treatment plant and two new waterworks. Once completed, it will provide water to urban areas and the Lanzhou New Area, said Yang.

Lanzhou currently has only one source of water in Xigu District, which draws water from the Yellow River. A number of hydropower stations and enterprises on the upper reaches, which produce pollutants, are putting the water source at risk.

Lanzhou Veolia Water Co., a Sino-French joint venture, is currently the sole water supplier for urban Lanzhou.

Tap water contamination caused by outdated water ducts affected 2.4 million people in Lanzhou in April 2014. An another incident involving foul smelling water in March this year gave residents cause for concern over water quality. Endi