China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project has transferred more than 88 billion cubic meters of water to northern regions, benefiting nearly 200 million people.
According to data released by the Ministry of Water Resources in May, the eastern and central routes have supplied water to 48 large and medium-sized cities.
The central route alone has transferred more than 78 billion cubic meters, while the eastern route has moved over 9.8 billion cubic meters across provincial boundaries. Water quality along the central route has remained at Class II or above, with the eastern route at Class III.
Over the past five years, the project supplied more than 13 billion cubic meters of ecological replenishment water. This has helped restore flows in more than 50 rivers and raised groundwater levels in parts of northern China. The project was designed to ease chronic water shortages by diverting water from the Yangtze River basin.
