Hebei's water resources department recently revealed that according to schedule, the south-to-north water diversion project will complete the middle route in 2010, which means that Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province are expected to have access to water from the Yangtze River in five years.

Beijing, Tianjin and part of Hebei Province are located in the Haihe River basin, a region in serious shortage of water resources. Per capita water resources in the region only amount to 213 cubic meters, equal to 15% of the national average. Due to shortage of water resources, some big cities face tense water supply. Tianjin has channeled water from the Yellow River for several times and its industrial and agricultural development has been largely restricted because of water shortage.