An immense water project in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, became the focus of public debate last week after the city's water authority announced their intention to build a "water city" by adding 15 new lakes to an existing 13, forming a series of lakes that when combined, will be five times the size of Hangzhou's famed West Lake.

The massive plan, which boasts over 10 billion yuan ($1.57 billion) in investment, will be completed in five to 10 years with a total 28 lakes and seven wetlands, which will be connected via 10 river systems to form a water cycle.

Calls for the project to be reconsidered have been intensifying, as residents  and experts cast doubts on feasibility and motive of the plan in the parched city which has to divert river water from south of the province.

Water, water everywhere?

With city reservoirs currently containing an average of 278 cubic meters of water per person, just one sixth of the national average, Xi'an's project aims to address water problems such as water shortages and pollution, said a notice released by the city's water authority on August 16.

The overall plan covers more than 30 square kilometers and at the end of 2012, the government will start digging a major lake in its southwestern suburbs, which will become a vacation and tourist resort, including a waterfront residential community expected to accommodate 600,000 residents.

Wang Gushi, an official with the water authority, told the Oriental Morning Post that the lake water will come from three sources. "Processed recycled water, rainwater and water saved from daily use."

To ensure water quality the authority will be building new waterways to enable water diversions to the lakes, according to their plans.

"The government is definitely unable to get enough water for 28 lakes simply by collecting rains and recycled water, and I'm not sure they can keep the system cycling properly," said Li Hui, director with the Xi'an-based Shaanxi West-East Planning Design Institute.

As an inland city, it's geographically difficult for Xi'an to collect water and the existing lakes do not have sufficient water sources already, said Li.

He cited the city's moat, which is under the management of the water authority, saying that it is seriously polluted because its standing water is disconnected from any other rivers.

South Lake, one of the existing man-made lakes in the city, has better water quality but the supply is also insufficient, Li added.

"Using recycled water sounds good, but I wonder whether the government can ensure water quality and if they'll draw upon underground water or divert water from elsewhere to make up the difference," said Hu Kanping, director with the China Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association, adding that drawing water from other sources "would be a waste and disrupt water cycles."

Cause for concern

For other waterfront cities which have sufficient water resources, it is easier to build lakes and connections among rivers.

Since March, the city government of Guangzhou has been embarking on a plan to build six lakes as part of the city's water conservancy project. Although some people see the project as a "lake-building contest" to boost the government's image, experts noted that the major functions of the lakes are to ease floods and supply water for downstream rivers as well as city beautification.

The Xi'an project has drawn a lot more attention than previous water projects, with reports saying the major motive of the move is to boost the real estate industry.

The government initiated the campaign because they see the value and business opportunities in developing water and land resources, especially real estate development, said an anonymous official with the water authority, the Oriental Morning Post reported.

Lake-view houses are popular and land development projects around the lakes will also bring more investment for water conservancy programs, he said.

"Digging out a lake helps water conservancy and generates environmental and social profits," Li Peicheng, an engineer with the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the chief designer of the plan, said in the report.

He noted in the report that by adding waterways residents would be able to visit different water sites by ship, which would also ease traffic.

According to authority officials, the overall project investment will be shared with the local government paying one third and the rest left to investment from other parties.

However, the authority calls the project "charitable" in its official notices.

The historic city of Xi'an was famous for its rich water resources, with eight rivers running around and through it during the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), but they have been obstructed and seriously polluted since the 1970s.

The government plan to restore Xi'an to a historic water city has given residents cause for both celebration and concern, as more lakes mean more real estate projects and higher housing prices.

According to Li, the current housing price for urban areas of Xi'an is about 7,500 to 10,000 yuan per square meter, and usually apartments with a lake view cost at least twice that amount.

"As a city planner I'm looking forward to seeing the environment improve with more lakes to adjust to the local weather, but as a resident it might not be good news, especially when officials are not always putting residents' benefits ahead of commercial profits," said Li Hui, adding that the housing price at South Lake already exceeds 20,000 yuan per square meter.

Future Prospects

As lake-view houses attract residents, it will be difficult to manage water pollution as well, said Ma Jun, the director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, an environmental protection NGO based in Beijing.

However, he also suggested that it might not be a bad thing if the government is able to carry out the project with a thorough plan and solutions to possible problems.

"It could benefit residents, the government and enterprises if the authorities have formulated a well-planned design to prevent pollution and water penetration, and the lakes won't replace farmlands," Ma said.

The lake in the Olympic Park of Beijing, built with recycled water, has been running quite well with well-controlled water quality and a booming surrounding economy, Hu said.

Ultimately however, many local residents such as He Shanshan remain unfazed by the project.

"It doesn't mean much for residents like me, who cannot afford a lake villa. If the lakes are properly managed it's just another place to go to for our leisure time," she said.