Chinanews, Lanzhou, July 12 – The water quality of the Yellow River in Qinghai Province can be categorized as level 2, quite good, but the quality of the water sample collected from the same Yellow River in Baiyin, Gansu Province is at level 5, severely polluted.About 500 km of the Yellow River flow through Gansu Proince. Along that part of the river, are many industrial cities, like Lanzhou and Baiyin.Statistics from Gansu Provincial Ecoenviromental Protection Administration, Gansu discharges 237 million tons of sewage into the Yellow River every year. Besides, only 34% of domestic sewage are treated before being discharged into the river.A research team sent by the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, China’s top advisory body, also confirmed the pollution of the Yellow River caused by Gansu.In the 10th Five-Year Plan Period (2001-2005), China invested 1.4 billion yuan to treat pollution in the Gansu Section of the Yellow Rive, and another 4.97 billion yuan will be invested in the 11th Five-Year Plan Period (2006-2010). However, it won’t be easy to restore the Yellow River to its original condition, as the pollution was not caused overnight.