The Beijing municipal government has spent about 430 million yuan (US$57.3 million) on a project to divert river water to improve eco-environment around an Olympic venue in the northeastern Shunyi district.

According to Qin Yongjun, deputy director of the Shunyi district reform and development commission, a 13-km-long underground pipeline has been constructed to connect the Wenyu River, which flows from Changping in northern Beijing to Tongzhou in the east, and the Chaobai River in Shunyi.

"The Wenyu River has an annual flow of 400 million cubic meters, but the Chaobai River, which runs near the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park, has run out of water for nine consecutive years, due to over-exploitation," Qin said.

The diversion project, which is almost complete, will channel 38 million cubic meters of water into Chaobai every year to improve the environment and scenery around the venue during the Olympics, he said.

Water-processing facilities have been installed at the source of the diversion pipes to ensure the quality of the water, he added.

"In the long term, it also helps to better the living environment for the local residents," Qin said, adding the diverted water is not to be used for the venue.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2007)