A Lifeline for Millions in the North, Transforming Lives and Restoring Ecosystems

A Lifeline for Millions

China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the largest of its kind globally, has delivered over 70 billion cubic meters of water through its middle route since its full operation began in December 2014. This massive water transfer project has become a crucial lifeline for 26 major cities and over 200 counties, benefiting approximately 114 million residents in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Henan.

The impact has been particularly pronounced in Beijing, where diverted water now accounts for nearly 80% of the capital's urban water supply. A large proportion of Beijing's drinking water now travels over 1,000 kilometers along the project's middle route from Danjiangkou Reservoir in central China's Hubei province. The water flows north via canals and pipelines, crossing beneath the Yellow River before arriving at Beijing's water treatment plants.

In Tianjin, the project's reach has expanded to 15 of the city's 16 administrative districts, with infrastructure improvements extending water access to rural areas through various rural drinking water improvement initiatives.

Over the decade-long operation of the project's middle route, both service areas and beneficiary populations have witnessed steady expansion. The project has also played a vital role in ecological restoration across north China. Continuous water replenishment has helped alleviate groundwater overexploitation and restored continuous flow to major northern water systems, including the Hutuo, Yongding, and Daqing rivers.

The mega water diversion project channels water over long distances from the country's water-rich south to its northern regions, where hundreds of millions once endured "absolute water scarcity" as defined by United Nations standards. This project has significantly improved the lives of millions of people in northern China, providing them with access to clean and reliable water.