Workers are busy at the construction site of a sewage treatment plant in Rudong county, Nantong, Jiangsu province on June 4. [Photo/rdxmt.com]

Rudong county in Nantong, Jiangsu province plans to invest nearly 2.1 billion yuan ($304 million) into the construction of 11 sewage treatment plants in rural areas throughout the county.

These plants are expected to serve 49,668 households in the area.

The local government has adopted a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach for the construction of sewage plants.

Xu Yan, a Rudong county official, said that the plants began construction in April this year and will be divided into two phases.

According to the plan, the first phase will begin operating by the end of the year, while the second phase will begin development next year.

Local authorities said that the first phase's six sewage plants have a daily processing capacity of 42,000 tons, while the second phase's five sewage plants have a capacity of 32,000 tons.

Rudong has made improving sewage treatment in rural areas a priority, and it plans to build a comprehensive sewage treatment network.

In addition to sewage plants, the local government also plans to build 228 wastewater treatment facilities across 80 villages.

The supporting facilities for the sewage network are expected to be completed by the end of 2020 .