The third stage of an important sewage treatment plant in Quzhou, eastern Zhejiang province, recently began construction, according to local media reports.

With an investment of 280 million yuan ($39.75 million), the entire project will be completed in 24 months and be put into service in the middle of 2021, officials said.

The new facility is expected to handle 50,000 tons of sewage every day, with treated wastewater satisfying the highest standards for pollutant discharge in China.

Officials said that the project was initiated because the existing sewage treatment plant in Quzhou has reached its daily capacity and the provincial government has set higher quality standards for discharged water from urban sewage plants in Zhejiang.

They added that this made it necessary for Quzhou to expand its sewage treatment plant capacity.