The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is an important strategic infrastructure to optimize water resources, boost sustainable economic and social development, and improve people's livelihoods. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chongqing - In early June, China South-to-North Water Diversion Corporation signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Chongqing municipal government. Covering the 2026–2030 period, the partnership will focus on building a modern water network and expanding related water infrastructure services.

China South-to-North Water Diversion Project is the world’s largest interbasin water transfer scheme, linking the Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow, and Hai river basins through eastern, central, and western routes.

The project is planned to divert an average annual volume of 44.8 billion cubic meters of water. The first phases of the eastern and central routes have been in operation for over a decade, having diverted more than 88 billion cubic meters of water northward for water supply security and ecological restoration.

As China's only central state-owned enterprise with the primary responsibility of ensuring national water security and advancing the national water network, the corporation's business is highly aligned with Chongqing's urgent needs.

The new agreement with Chongqing was signed against the backdrop of China's ongoing efforts to build a national water network infrastructure. Chongqing has been designated as a key node city in the western region's water resource allocation and regional regulation.

As the city enters the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) phase, the western part of Chongqing continues to face challenges stemming from the uneven temporal and spatial distribution of water resources and structural scarcity. At the same time, there are rising risks of floods and droughts under extreme weather conditions, as well as insufficient equity in urban and rural water supply.

An official from the Chongqing Water Resources Bureau said that bringing the corporation into water network construction involves not only financial cooperation but, more importantly, leveraging the corporation's expertise in the integrated investment, construction, and operation of large-scale water infrastructure.

To date, China South-to-North Water Diversion Corporation Limited has established two corporate entities in Yunyang County and Liangjiang New Area. They focus primarily on energy development and smart water system construction.

A key project under the partnership is the Changzheng Canal Diversion Project, a long-planned water transfer scheme first proposed in the 1950s and later incorporated into national and regional development plans. The project is expected to ease chronic water shortages in western Chongqing and strengthen water security across the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle.

Alongside the Changzheng Canal project, the integrated water resource allocation for the northeastern part of the Sichuan-Chongqing region has also been designated as a key water diversion project to be advanced during Chongqing's 15th Five-Year Plan period.

In urban and rural water supply, Chongqing supports the introduction of market participants into the investment, construction, and operation of water supply through equity cooperation, franchising, and entrusted operation. Water utilities under the corporation have already initiated engagement with districts and counties.

In digital water management, Chongqing plans to launch 12 projects during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, aiming to provide risk simulation and visualized operations for 168 key small and medium sized river basins. Officials also noted significant potential for expanding the use of artificial intelligence and large language models.

According to the agreement, the two parties will promote the application of the "Tianhe" Large Model in water conservancy scenarios, explore pathways for integrating AI into water systems, and facilitate the deployment of related technologies in water management applications.