South-to-North diversion project benefits 87 million people, eases crisis

The South-to-North Water Diversion project has benefited 87 million people while easing the water crisis in North China, officials said at a news conference on Monday to mark two years since the project began.

Among the beneficiaries is Li Wenlan, a senior citizen living in southwest Beijing's Fengtai district. Li's neighborhood now receives water from the nearby Guogongzhuang water plant, a facility built specifically for receiving water from the transfer project.

"There is hardly any scale residue in the water now, and the water tastes quite sweet, as far as I'm concerned," Li said. "We haven't changed the magnesium rod in our water heater for two years, because the erosion caused by water scale is much less than it used to be."