FILE: China – Exact Date and Location Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1.     Various of water projects; rivers; reservoirs; cityscape

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The eastern and middle routes of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project have delivered about 90 billion cubic meters of water as of Monday, benefiting 195 million people, the project operator announced.

The mega water transfer project, the largest of its kind globally, channels water over long distances from the country's water-rich south to its northern regions, where hundreds of millions once endured "absolute water scarcity" as defined by United Nations standards.

After more than a decade of operation, the project has benefited 48 medium and large cities across China, including Beijing and Tianjin, providing a stable and high-quality water supply to 195 million people.

With sustained ecological water replenishment, the project has also contributed to fundamental improvements in the ecological environment along its routes.

Designed with three routes, the project stretches across four of China's major river basins: the Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow and Haihe.

The eastern route leverages ancient canals, starting from the city of Yangzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province, and uses 13 pumping stations to lift water.

The middle route relies on gravity to transport water from the Danjiangkou Reservoir, primarily located in central China's Hubei Province, to regions such as Henan, Hebei, Beijing and Tianjin.

The western route is still in the planning stage.