HEFEI - East China's Anhui province has earmarked nearly 200 billion yuan ($30.1 billion) over the next decade to harness the Huaihe River, China's third-longest waterway.

An official with the provincial department of water resources said Tuesday that the provincial government had approved a program that will cost 192.9 billion yuan by 2020 for the treatment of the river, which is prone to floods and pollution.

According to the program, local authorities will focus on biological protection, pollution prevention and ensuring water supplies on the river in order to form a system that can comprehensively secure water sources.

The 1,000-km-long Huaihe River originates in Henan province and traverses Hubei, Anhui, Shandong and Jiangsu provinces.