A panoramic view of Qiandao Lake, situated in Chun'an county at Zhejiang province [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

The North Hangzhou line, part of the Qiandao Lake Water Supply Project, became operational on June 28, meaning residents in North Hangzhou, Yuhang district and several other areas in the city now have access to high-quality drinking water from Qiandao Lake, or Thousand-Island Lake.

It took two years and two months to complete construction on the North Hangzhou line, which has a total length of 28.6 kilometers and costed 2.85 billion yuan ($403.28 million).

Tiaoxi Lake was previously the only water source for residents in North Hangzhou and Yuhang district. However, the water quality of the lake was unstable due changes taking place upstream.

The North Hangzhou line, part of the Qiandao Lake Water Supply Project, becomes operational on June 28, meaning residents in North Hangzhou, Yuhang district and several other areas in the city now have access to high-quality drinking water from Qiandao Lake. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

In addition, with constantly expanding urban areas and the increasing population of urban Hangzhou, the need for more drinking water sources in North Hangzhou and Yuhang district became sharper.

According to Chen Qitao, a representative at Hangzhou Water Group, the North Hangzhou line project is a fully-enclosed underground water channel, thus preventing the loss of water and contamination from pollutants.

The pipes are made of environmentally-friendly materials, ensuring the quality and safety of the water source.

An intelligent control system was also used to monitor and coordinate the water supply volume for the project.