On December 9, the construction of two new wastewater treatment plants were completed and put into operation on Qing River, one of the major waterways in Beijing. The two projects are the second phase construction of the Qing River wastewater treatment plant and the Marco Polo Bridge (Lugou Bridge) wastewater treatment plant.

　　The two new plants have a total capacity of treating 300 000 cubic meters of wastewater every day, or 100 million cubic meters every year. Upon the completion of the two new wastewater treatment plants, Beijing now has a total capacity of treating 1.88 million cubic meters of wastewater every per day.

　　Beijing is planning to restore cleanness and clarity in the four major rivers of the city, namely Huitong River, Ba River, Qing River and Liangshui River. By the year of 2008, Beijing will be able to treat more than 90 percent of its wastewater and recycle over 50 percent of the treated water. In the next few years before 2008, Beijing will build one wastewater treatment plant and 100 kilometers of water pipes every year. It will build another 14 wastewater treatment plants and nine water recycling plants, which will accelerate the city's pace to clean up its rivers.