On the morning of May 30, 2023, the backbone project of Jilin Water Network began construction in Dongfeng County, Liaoyuan City, Jilin Province. The total investment of this project is 67 billion yuan, making it the first major backbone project of the national water network to commence construction after the release of the "Outline of the National Water Network Construction Plan".

It is reported that the backbone project of the Jilin water network connects the three major water systems and connects the three major plates in the east, west, and east. It is composed of one 530 kilometer long main line, 16 main lines, 1 branch line, 5 pump stations, and 2.2 million mu of irrigation area, which will effectively solve the water shortage problem in the central and western regions of Jilin. The total construction period of this project is 96 months, and it will be implemented in two phases. It will be completed and effective simultaneously in 2031. After completion, it can meet the three major water needs of production, living, and ecology, with an average annual water diversion of 1 billion cubic meters and an annual increase of 1.38 billion kilograms of grain, benefiting approximately 8.65 million people.

Jing Junhai, Secretary of the Jilin Provincial Party Committee, stated that the Jilin Provincial Party Committee and Government have planned and promoted the Jilin Water Network Project, which has the largest investment scale, longest water transmission line, and most difficult planning and design in the history of water conservancy in Jilin Province, based on the water conservation priority, spatial balance, systematic governance, and dual efforts.

After the completion of the Jilin Water Network Project, it will change the water supply pattern in Liaoyuan and solve the water shortage problem in the city. Shen Desheng, Secretary of the Liaoyuan Municipal Party Committee, stated that Liaoyuan City will work together with the Provincial Department of Water Resources and the Provincial Water Network Group to plan and implement 21 supplementary network extension projects, including the extension of water supply projects and the smooth flow of rural water systems, in order to scientifically build a water cycle system that connects water systems, complements rivers and reservoirs, and regulates flood and dry seasons. Wang Xiangmin, Director of the Jilin Provincial Department of Water Resources, stated that the province's water conservancy system will closely monitor key routes and work to ensure that the projects are completed on schedule and bring benefits into play.

The construction conditions of the backbone project of Jilin water network are complex and the construction difficulty is high. As one of the construction parties, Gao Wei, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of China Railway Tunnel Bureau Group Co., Ltd., stated that he will firmly establish a red line awareness and bottom line thinking on safety, quality, and environmental protection, and complete the construction tasks with high quality and efficiency.Editor/Ma Xue