Xianyang, once the capital city for China's first emperor over 2,200 years ago, has set up a sewage disposal factory, putting an end to the history of sewage drainage into the Weihe River, the largest tributary of the Yellow River.

 

The Dongjiao sewage disposal factory, which was put in operation on Saturday, is a key project the city launched to improve pollution of the Weihe River valley.

 

The factory, covering area of 6.8 hectares, is designed to treat 200,000 tons of city sewage per day.

 

As the Weihe River is the only drainage channel in western Shaanxi Province, more than 80 percent sewage and industrial wastewater in the province is discharged in it, causing serious pollution.

 

With the operation of the factory, the treated water will meet the discharge standard before being poured into the Weihe River.

 

Xianyang, built more than 2,350 years ago, is 20 kilometers northwest of Xi'an, where the world-famous terra-cotta warriors and horses were found.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2006)