The middle route of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project has delivered more than 80 billion cubic meters of water as of Friday, benefiting nearly 118 million residents in 27 cities, the project operator announced. The mega water transfer project, the largest of its kind globally, channels water over long distances from the country's water-rich south to its northern regions, where hundreds of millions once endured "absolute water scarcity" as defined by United Nations standards. After operating for nearly 12 years, the middle route has helped rebalance water resources, secure drinking water supplies, restore aquatic ecosystems, and reinforce national water security, according to the China South-to-North Water Diversion Corporation.