The first phase of the central route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is ready to be put into full operation, with the project inspection passed on Sept 29 by the State Council's office of the diversion project commission.

The office said that the central route's full operation will begin after the flooding season this year, in October.

The first phase of the 1,432-km central route will play an important role in alleviating the severe water shortage in arid northern China, including Beijing and Tianjin municipalities, and Hebei and Henan provinces.

The main part of the construction, including more than 2,000 canals and tunnels, were completed in December.

In the severe drought that hit Pingdingshan, Henan province, this year, water authorities transferred more than 50 million cubic meters of water through the central route to the city, providing water to more than 1 million residents.

When the route's first phase begins operation, about 9.5 billion cu m of water will be transferred a year from the Danjiangkou Reservoir in Hubei province through Henan to reach Hebei, Tianjin and Beijing.