Jiangxi is seeking financial support from Guangdong to ensure that the source of the Dongjiang is kept free of pollution, Governor Huang Zhiquan says. 'We are talking to [Guangdong] Governor Huang Huahua . We are not asking for a lot of money,' Mr Huang said. Deputy Governor Wu Xinxiong said the measures taken by Jiangxi included closing down polluting factories in Anyuan, one of several counties where the Dongjiang, or East River, has its source, to guarantee the quality of water supplied to Hong Kong. Jiangxi officials said they do not profit from the sale of water to Hong Kong, but had a responsibility to ensure the conservation of its source. At present, Hong Kong pays Guangdong about $2.5 billion for 810 million cubic metres of water each year - or $3.085 per cubic metre. The Hong Kong government has been in talks with its Guangdong counterparts to reduce its imports. The Jiangxi People's Congress passed a motion last year to protect the source of the Dongjiang and set objectives for its development. 'This will be a major task for us in the 11th Five-Year Plan,' said Development and Reform Commission deputy director general Wang Datong. The counties of Anyuan, Xunwu and Dingnan and Ganzhou, where the river rises, include two of Jiangxi's poorest areas. Officials plan to redirect funds from more developed counties to ensure that poor areas do not have to resort to industries such as mining that would pollute the water. The commission has outlined nine conservation projects, including sewage treatment plants and rubbish disposal facilities in Xunwu and Dingnan.
