BEIJING, Dec. 25 -- Water through the south-to-north diversion project is set to arrive in Beijing on Saturday, said local authorities on Thursday.

"The water will be directed to 15 of Beijing's 16 districts and counties," said Sun Guosheng, chief of the Beijing office of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

Sun also told the press that by next October, Beijing will receive818 million cubic meters of water.

The middle route's first-stage project starts at the Danjiangkou Reservoir in the central province of Hubei. It was officially put into operation on Dec. 12.

It will supply 9.5 billion cubic meters of water annually to the northern regions, including the cities of Beijing and Tianjin, and provinces of Henan and Hebei.