Recently, at the construction site of the water intake hub of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project by the Hutuo River in Yuxian County, several workers were commissioning pump units. The sounds of work in the plant and the flowing of the Hutuo River together played a beautiful "melody." In a few months, the "melody" of this "music" will become even richer—the barrage gate will close to impound water, pumps will draw river water, and the flow will be diverted southward... Along the more than 80-kilometer diversion route, it will play the "song of the people's heart" that safeguards urban and rural residents' water use, the "song of prosperity" that serves rural revitalization, and the "song of forging ahead" that boosts high-quality economic development.
　　The Longhuakou Water Diversion Project is an important part of the Xinzhou–Yangquan line, the "second horizontal" of Shanxi's Grand Water Network, and is even more a project of the people's heart and a livelihood project decided and implemented by the municipal Party committee and municipal government to safeguard the safety of urban and rural water supply in Yangquan and improve people's quality of life. Yangquan City has carefully planned, tackled difficulties, and worked together to build this quality project. Wang Jikui, Party secretary and director of the Municipal Water Resources Bureau, said: "Urban development must adhere to the principle of 'determining the city, land, population, and production by water.' Once, Yangquan's production and life were constrained by the bottleneck of water shortage. Now, the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project, soon to be completed and put into water supply, will completely change this situation and become an important water resource support for Yangquan's sustainable economic and social development."
　　The Longhuakou Water Diversion Project has a total investment of 2.03 billion yuan and mainly consists of three parts: the Hutuo River water intake hub project, the Longhuakou Reservoir replenishment project, and the project diverting water from Longhuakou Reservoir to Yuxian County and the urban area. The project requires the construction of 1 water intake pump station, 3 booster pump stations, 1 high-level regulation and storage shaft, 1 pressure-stabilizing regulation and storage tank, a 2.9-kilometer water conveyance tunnel, and an 81.6-kilometer water conveyance pipeline. Since construction began, the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project has progressed smoothly. With the joint efforts of all participating parties, the main construction of the water intake pump station and the three booster pump stations has been fully completed, 95% of the total water conveyance pipeline installation has been completed, and the project has completed a total investment of 1.29 billion yuan, with construction progress exceeding 80%.
　　The clear spring water diverted "through mountains and across rivers" from the northernmost township of Yangquan embodies the hardships and dedication of the planners, implementers, and builders of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project, and also carries the eager expectations of urban and rural residents and industrial and agricultural enterprises.
　　Careful Planning and Joint Efforts to Build a Livelihood Project
　　During this period, Yangquan City has experienced consecutive days of high temperatures. At the construction site of the water intake hub of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project, workers plastered the exterior walls of the main pump station building under the scorching sun. The four pumps of the water intake pump station have been installed in place, and several workers were tightening screws and wiping away dust. "In the face of high temperatures, we respond with even greater enthusiasm for work. Pump station construction has entered the sprint stage, and we dare not relax for a moment," said Wu Cong, executive deputy manager of the civil works and installation Section I project of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project.
　　Yangquan City's strong thirst for water resources is the driving force behind its "urging" of accelerated project construction. Water is the source of life, the key to production, and the foundation of ecology. However, Yangquan's per capita water resources are less than one-fifth of the national average, and the distribution is severely uneven. Niangziguan Town in the east and Liangjiazhai Township in the north are rich in water resources, while the densely populated urban area and the northern part of the suburban area are relatively short of water.
　　In recent years, Yangquan City has implemented two phases of the Niangziguan water supply project, diverting karst spring water from Niangziguan, which undertakes 85% of municipal water supply. However, transmission distance, water use costs, pipe network pressure, and water quality issues remain the "bottlenecks" of water use for Yangquan's urban and rural residents.
　　Moreover, single-source water supply is the greatest hidden danger to Yangquan's water supply safety. According to the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China and the requirements set when the Ministry of Water Resources conducted assessment and spot checks in Yangquan in 2019, building an emergency backup water source project as soon as possible is the primary issue facing Yangquan City. To this end, Yangquan City decided to use the already completed and impounded Longhuakou Reservoir to build an emergency backup water source.
　　As early as 2011, our province implemented the construction of a grand water network featuring "two verticals and ten horizontals, six rivers connected, and coverage of the whole province," and the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project is an important part of it. Seizing this opportunity, Yangquan City formally placed the construction of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project on its agenda.
　　"To promote the smooth implementation of the project, the main leaders of the municipal Party committee and municipal government actively sought support from higher levels while conducting multiple field surveys to accelerate the project progress. We went more than twenty times to departments and units such as the Provincial Department of Water Resources, Wanjiazhai Water Holding Group Co., Ltd., and the Provincial Water Resources Survey and Design Institute to coordinate on feasibility study preparation, project plans, investment models, project implementation, and other matters. With the active cooperation of municipal departments including development and reform, finance, planning and natural resources, and ecology and environment, as well as Yuxian County and the suburban district, this long-awaited livelihood project was able to start smoothly," Wang Jikui said.
　　Tackling Difficulties and Working Together to Build a Quality Project
　　Only by diverting water does one realize that opening up a source is not easy. Although repeated scientific demonstrations, meticulous deployment, and continuous adjustment and optimization of plans minimized the difficulty of implementation, many difficulties were still encountered during the process.
　　After strict bidding, the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project was assigned to Yangquan Water Affairs Co., Ltd. of Wanjiazhai Water Holding Group for implementation. The company's head, Li Jiangshen, had participated in the entire construction of the Wanjiazhai Yellow River Diversion Project and is very experienced. Even so, he did not dare to let down his guard: "The project construction involves 54 villages in 9 townships across 2 counties and districts, with a total length of more than 80 kilometers. It requires tunneling through mountains and across rivers, and building many types of water conservancy facilities. Although we have rich construction experience, it is still no small challenge."
　　On the south bank of Longhuakou Reservoir, the main structure of the first-stage booster pump station has been completed and has entered the interior decoration stage. Compared with large reservoirs and the towering surrounding mountains, the first-stage booster pump station is inconspicuous, but it is the single building with the greatest construction difficulty in the entire project. Chang Hong, head of the engineering department of Yangquan Water Affairs Co., Ltd. of Wanjiazhai Water Holding Group, said: "The above-ground main structure of the pump station is more than 20 meters high, the underground plant is more than 20 meters deep, and the foundation was driven another 20-plus meters. From the foundation to the top of the pump station is more than 70 meters, equivalent to the height of a 20-plus-story building, and the slope beside the main pump station building is also more than 50 meters high. The construction site conditions are very harsh, and building such a project is very difficult. But only by building to such high standards can the safety of the pump station be ensured and the pumps be able to 'reach' the bottom of the reservoir to operate."
　　While the pump station buildings plunge underground, the water conveyance pipeline "crosses mountains and rivers" and gradually extends southward. In northern Yuxian County, some water conveyance pipelines need to pass beneath the Longhua River channel, and some must cross mountain bodies, making construction extremely difficult. "Some sections are rich in water content, and newly excavated trenches were quickly soaked by water. We adopted a 'short, quick, and efficient' construction method, ensuring drainage before laying pipelines. Some water supply pipes weigh up to 12 tons each and must be transported by large machinery, so we could only build roads while constructing. At the most difficult times, we could lay only 8 meters of pipeline per day," said Ye Xiushuo, project manager of the civil works and installation Section II of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project.
　　Only in hardship does courage shine. Facing one difficulty after another, everyone came up with one solution after another. "The 2.9-kilometer water conveyance tunnel is the controlling project of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project. The water conveyance tunnel needs to pass through mountain bodies. The construction site has variable rock properties and high mountain water content, making landslides and collapses likely and construction very difficult. Nevertheless, everyone overcame the difficulties and completed the water conveyance tunnel more than two months ahead of schedule, ensuring the overall progress of the project," Wu Cong said.
Quality First: "Water Power" Serving Economic Development
　　At the construction site of the second-stage booster pump station, the publicity board for "Party Building on the Construction Site" is particularly eye-catching. Chang Hong said: "After the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project started construction, we established the 'Longhuakou Water Diversion Project Party Building Alliance' to let the Party flag fly on the construction site. The 29 Party members dispersed across departments such as project construction, supervision, and large equipment construction play a vanguard and exemplary role and have become the backbone of project construction."
　　Led by this backbone force, the construction site of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project has developed a style of loyalty, integrity, and responsibility. The total investment of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project is 2.03 billion yuan, of which the self-raised portion accounts for a relatively large proportion. "Good steel should be used on the blade." At the beginning of project construction, Yangquan Water Affairs Co., Ltd. of Wanjiazhai Water Holding Group established this concept. After "comparing goods from three suppliers," the company chose high-quality bank loans with low interest rates, saving 150 million yuan in operating costs on this item alone. The water conveyance pipeline consists of three types of pipes made of different materials, some pressure-resistant and some low-cost. Construction personnel laid pipes according to needs, balancing safety and durability with cost savings. Pumps need to be used for a long time, so the project side implemented "fund倾斜"—"tilting funds"—and used world-leading excellent brands. "The single building of the first-stage booster pump station costs 100 million yuan and is truly the 'blade.' We save where we should and spend where we should. The money saved will be used for later maintenance of the project and control of water prices," Li Jiangshen said.
　　Along the construction front of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project, a surge of technological transformation and innovation is everywhere. The second-stage booster pump station looks like an auditorium; inside, the roof of the spherical grid structure is well arranged and full of artistic flavor. Why does the pump station have such a design? Ye Xiushuo said: "The main plants of the second- and third-stage booster pump stations both use spherical grid structure roofs, which are beautiful and save money. Once completed, the pump station plants will be more like exhibition halls displaying construction achievements and workers' wisdom."
　　During the laying of PCCP pipes, construction personnel also encountered problems such as long production cycles and high costs for pipe fittings and elbows, as well as long stoppage gaps and low construction efficiency at the site. While ensuring project progress, technical personnel carried out research on the standardization of elbow fittings and ultimately achieved standardization of PCCP elbow fittings. This technological transformation not only reduced costs and increased efficiency for the project, but also won the third prize in the "Technological Innovation" category from the China Concrete and Cement Products Association.
　　Project safety is the foundation and prerequisite for water conservancy projects to perform their functional benefits. To ensure project quality, the Municipal Water Resources Bureau and Yangquan Water Affairs Co., Ltd. of Wanjiazhai Water Holding Group gave play to their respective functions, actively fulfilled responsibilities, and ensured construction quality.
　　Even before the project was completed, "tests" were constantly being conducted. In October 2022, Yangquan City experienced an autumn flood. At the end of July 2023, Typhoon Doksuri brought heavy rainfall to Yangquan City. The continuous precipitation processes became a "touchstone" for project quality, and both the main pump station buildings and the barrage gate withstood the test of sharply rising water levels.
　　It is expected that by the end of this year, the entire Longhuakou Water Diversion Project will undergo trial water delivery. While advancing project construction, supporting projects such as water plants and water supply pipelines are also being planned and constructed at an accelerated pace to fully receive the incoming water. The Longhuakou Water Diversion Project will reserve 13 water supply outlets along the route to meet Yangquan City's industrial and livelihood water needs.
　　From planning to commencement, the construction of the Longhuakou Water Diversion Project, which has lasted more than 30 months, is nearing completion and is about to draw a successful conclusion. Replenishing the Hutuo River with Yellow River water and nourishing Yangquan City with water from the Longhua River and Hutuo River, as the surging water source draws nearer, it will not only open a new situation of "diverting northern water to the south" but also further enhance the city's level.
　　A new water resource pattern is taking shape at an accelerated pace, and the trickling clear water will benefit people's livelihoods and endure for future generations.