Xi'an – A treatment project of the Hanjiang River kicked off on Monday and will last for 5 years in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

With an investment of 18.8 billion yuan ($2.98 billion), the project aims to supply high-quality water for China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

Hanjiang River is the largest tributary of the Yangtze River and an important water resource for this diversion project.

The river causes floods because of its topography and is polluted due to rapid economic development.

“Storms and floods hit the river every year,” said Xi Genzhan, an official with Shaanxi Provincial Water Resources Department.

The treatment will cover 470 km of the river's main stream and 37 other tributaries with a total length of 100 km.

Ten eco-livable regions in Hanjiang River basin will also be built to improve local people's living conditions.