The south-to-north water diversion project, one of China's largest infrastructure schemes, is designed to take water from the south to drought-prone areas in the north. Water will flow northward via three routes -- eastern, middle and western.

The first-stage of the eastern route, with an investment of over 50 billion yuan (US$8.2 billion), has recently started to supply water to the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui and Shandong.

China's top leaders welcomed major progress at the project and called for further efforts to ensure the success of following construction work.

Major work on the first-stage construction of the middle route is expected for completion at the year end.