WUHAN - A large water diversion project broke ground on Thursday in Central China's Hubei province, which will benefit nearly 5 million people after completion.

The 270-km pipeline, will divert 1.4 billion cubic meters of water each year from Danjiangkou Reservoir to the cities of Xiangyang, Suizhou and Xiaogan in North Hubei.

With investment of nearly 18 billion yuan (2.8 billion US dollars), the largest water distribution project in Hubei will take three years and nine months to complete.

After completion, it will benefit 4.82 million people and irrigate 310,000 hectares of land as well as industries along the route, said Wang Zhongfa, head of the Hubei Provincial Water Resources Department.

A reliable water supply will guarantee urban water supply, ensure grain production, improve the regional environment and with poverty relief efforts, said Minister of Water Resources Chen Lei.

Danjiangkou Reservoir is also the source of the middle route of the huge south-to-north water diversion project. The middle route takes water to northern provinces or cities including Beijing and Tianjin.