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Beijing's Chaoyang district plans to phase out 367 self-supply wells with utility water pipes in the eastern and part of the northern sections of the district, which will reduce the exploitation of 10 million cubic meters of underground water.
The news was given at a recent press conference held by the water authority of the district in Beijing.
Chaoyang has started the replacement of self-supply wells in Sanjianfang area in the district. The local government has worked with the Beijing Waterworks Group, the water supplier for the capital's downtown areas, to speed up the construction of the water pipe network outside residential areas.
It also called for investment from related departments and enterprises on upgrading the water supply pipes inside residential communities, and launched a campaign to elicit residents' support in every household.
"After all the self-supply wells have been phased out, the district will reduce the extraction of groundwater by over 12 million cubic meters each year, equal to the water in six Kunming Lakes in the Summer Palace," an official from the Chaoyang Water Authority said.
The project will benefit about 260,000 residents in Chaoyang, and they will no longer drink water from groundwater reserves.
The northeastern part of Chaoyang district is located in the groundwater funnel area and the water supply has been mainly provided by self-supply wells.
In addition, Chaoyang district will complete the project on sewage treatment of the Xiaotaihou River, a man-made river in southeast Beijing, in June.
A 20-kilometer pipeline, one for sewage water and the other for recycled water with a length of 10 km for each, is being laid to ease the pressure of water disposal for the river.
With a maximum daily transport capacity of 150,000 tons, the sewage pipeline can be used to carry sewage water to the treatment plant.
The major pollutants will be removed after a series of physical and chemical treatment processes while the reclaimed water will be carried upstream of the Xiaotaihou River to re-enter the watercourse.
As a result, the water quality of the Xiaotaihou River will be noticeably improved.
This year, Chaoyang district will build a new rainwater utilization project in the Yongshiying Suburban Park in the Laiguangying area. Moreover, the second phase of Leiqiao Reservoir and the Qianmu Lake, two rainwater utilization projects in the Sunhe area and Dongba area, will be expanded.
When these rainwater utilization projects are completed, the district will have seven such projects, which can maximally intercept about 20 percent of the rainfall in the confluence region of the projects during the flood season in the future, the official added.
Chaoyang district will also launch a new round of flood control projects in 6 medium-and-small watercourses such as the Liangma River and the Dagao Ditch.
Upon their completion, the flood discharge capacity of the watercourses will be upgraded to resist the worst flooding in 20 years.
