China will invest Rmb21.3bn in the south-to-north water diversion programme in 2009, according to the office in charge of the scheme under the State Council. The programme aims to divert water to the arid regions of northern China and will connect the Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow and Haihe rivers.
The project comprises three water-diversion channels, although work has yet to begin on the western one. Construction of the eastern route started in 2002, with the middle route beginning a year later. According to the programme office, the first-phase project of the eastern route will begin to provide water in 2013, and that of the middle channel, after the flooding season in 2014.