Construction of a water pipeline connecting the coastal mainland province of Fujian with Kinmen, a Taiwan islet, started on Monday when excavators began operations at Longhu Reservoir on the Jinjiang River, the source for the water-diversion project.

Water will be stored at the reservoir before being pumped into the pipeline and sent to Kinmen, only a dozen kilometers away.

Tsai Chi-chao, director of the Kinmen water plant, said the water supply has been a constant headache for the 153-square-kilometer island, especially with the increasing number of tourists.

"Most of the rain during typhoon season flows into the sea, and the underground water is far from enough for our residents," he said.

Diverting from the mainland river is the most economical and effective way to solve the problem, and the public is eager to see it happen, he added.

Investment for the water project totals 387.8 million yuan ($61.32 million), with 128 million yuan paid by the mainland and the rest covered by Taiwan.

Construction on the mainland section is due to be finished by October next year. The pipeline eventually will provide 34,000 cubic meters every day via a 27.6-km pipe. Fujian will be responsible for construction of the 11.7-km section on the mainland, while Kinmen will build the 15.7-km undersea section and the 0.2-km section on the islet.