The Anning Sewage Disposal Plant, which looks like two large grenades, will be up and running by the end of September, able to dispose of 200,000 metric tonnes of sewage water a day.

The Lanzhou municipal government has invested over 7 billion yuan (around 989 million US dollars) to deal with the polluted Yellow River during the nation's 10th five-year plan, hoping to diminish pollutants released into the river.

Pollutants turned the waters of the Yellow River into the colour of dirty milk along the Lanzhou City section on December 22, 2006.

After heavy rains, the Lanzhou City section of the Yellow River was heavily polluted with domestic rubbish on June 17, 2007, stretching several kilometres along the river.