Construction of Desalination Plant Started in Chinese City

Construction on a desalination plant began yesterday for south China’s city of Sansha, as part of a larger project that will also include a rainwater purification system.

The project, which will be capable of processing 1,000 cubic meters of seawater daily, will supply residents on Yongxing Island, where the municipal government is seated, said a spokesman from the local economic planning body.

The desalination plant, which should be complete by next December, will also supply clean water to nearby islets and reefs and passing ships.

The plant will cost 70 million yuan (US$11.2 million) to build, while the overall cost of the island’s water project is estimated to reach 210 million yuan. Currently, residents of Yongxing Island rely heavily on water transported from Hainan Province.