A river in Hai'an, a county-level city in Nantong [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

The construction of water conservation projects is currently being pushed in Hai'an, a county-level city in Nantong. The local government is expected to invest around 410 million yuan ($57.86 million) in total this year toward such projects.

Hai'an plans to improve the water quality in 122 polluted rivers, dredge 99 rural waterways and remove 192 dams to build bridges in 2020. Comprehensive treatment will be carried out on over 90 rivers in major local counties and other areas, such as Libao, Qutang, Dagong, Yazhou and Binhai New Area.

According to a worker at the water station in Nanmo town, local water gates are currently being modified in order to make them electric rather than human powered, which can save energy and reduce potential risks.

The connection of the river network is a major ongoing project in Hai'an. Workers in Qutang town have been working to dredge rivers and improve embankments. Around 15 percent of the project has been completed, and it is expected to finish by the end of June, said a local worker.

Hai'an aims to ensure smooth drainage, further improve the rural water environment and upgrade old facilities for flood control.