People in Suiling County, Heilongjiang Province, will no longer have to suffer from water shortages when a new supply system is completed in October next year.

The project, involving the construction of reservoirs and pipelines in urban areas and a water treatment plant, will cost US$10 million, according to the county's development plan.

Money for the scheme has come from Prime Bank Advisers (USA). According to a contract signed by the Suiling county government and the US partner in February, the project will be a build-operate-transfer project.

After eight months of negotiations, the US partner reached an agreement with Montgomery Watson Asia Ltd, also of the United States, which has agreed to undertake the construction work.

The project, the first water supply project supported by foreign investment in Heilongjiang Province, is expected to supply 20,000 tons of water daily.

The first-phase has already been completed by Suiling County, which built pipelines to bring water into the county. The system now under construction is the second-phase of the project.

Suiling, which has an urban population of 120,000 and 190,000 people in its rural areas, is rich in natural resources. However, water shortages have hampered development and the improvement of living standards.

According to statistics from the local government, about 10,000 tons of water is needed every day for homes and work places. However, only 3,000 tons are currently available.

The county's urban construction departments at the moment have to dig wells to keep people supplied.

The two US companies taking part in the project have reached agreements to carry out similar projects in the neighbouring counties of Hailin and Mishan.

(China Daily)