Beijing will input some 3.3 billion yuan (US$400 million) to purify its water system this year, Beijing Morning News reported Sunday.

According to the newspaper, apart from dredging up the smelly silt in some rivers, four sewage processing plants and three sewage diversion projects will be built.

Beijing has been making efforts to alleviate the pollution of its water system in recent years, lifting the water quality of the major part of its water section from its previous four or five grade to the second and third grade.

Based on the present speed of pollution control, more than 20 rivers in the city will have been purified and over 70,000 hectares of water surface made clean by 2005, which has the added benefit of eliminating smelly waters running through the city.

One key water pollution control project of the city began late last year over the Chaobai River, the longest sightseeing water line of the city.

Upon completion, the river will have the ability to store more than 41 million square meters of water and will be ready to host boat-racing sports at the 2008 Olympic Games.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2003)