"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," said Zhang Jiyao, vice-minister of Water Resources.

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, Monday's China Daily reported.

The first task is to heighten the dam of the Danjiangkou Reservoir from 157 meters to enlarge storage capacity to about 29 billion cubic meters from the current 11.6 billion.

The reservoir 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 meters of water annually to Beijing, Tianjin, and cities in Hebei, Henan and Hubei provinces. It will be able to provide 13 to 14 billion cubic meters by 2030.

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

It is because water volume during the flood season from July to September accounts for 50 percent of the annual discharge, said Tang.

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

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.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2002)