Beijing handed out water-saving devices to residents for free on Monday, a day ahead of World Water Day, in a bid to promote awareness of the need to conserve water, Beijing Times reported Tuesday.

A source from the Beijing Water Authority said the city replaced 4.33 million pieces of plumbing equipment with water-saving devices like faucets stops from 2001 to 2010, which enabled it to save 15.5 million cubic meter of water each year.

The city will try to fulfill the goal of making 95 percent of its families use water-saving devices during the country's 12th Five Year Plan period (2011-2015), the source said.