The rise of nanometers

As the most severe drought-stricken provinces in Hebei and Henan, although they survived February and March, the coming summer is also very critical.

Blue Era Spring City Headquarters.

Branch manager Zhao Xiaobing is receiving Zhang Guanghe, who has just been promoted to head of the water conservancy department of Shandong Province, and the two second-in-commands from the water conservancy departments of Hebei Province and Henan Province.

"Mr. Zhao, our province would like to invite your company to jointly develop and utilize the water resources in North China." Li Xingguo from Hebei Province raised his glasses and said.

Zhao Xiaojun did not agree immediately, but asked a question: "With the drought in the north this year, even if our company intervenes immediately, the distant water cannot quench the near thirst."

Li Xingguo knew very well that even if Blue Age intervened immediately, it would probably have to wait until the second half of the year before it would be possible to achieve initial transformation.

"Mr. Zhao, if in an emergency, your company builds a desalination plant along the coast of Cangzhou, how long will it take?"

Zhao Xiaojun was stunned, but Meng Jianye, the deputy general manager in charge of technology, thought for a while and gave an answer:

"If an open-air site is used, as long as the power supply is coordinated and the headquarters equipment is timely, production capacity can be initially established within a month. The problem is that the fresh water produced cannot be transported out."

This problem is indeed very real. No matter how large the production capacity is, what is the use? The key is that it cannot be transported by water.

Just like the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, three lines have been planned. Ideas were put forward in the last century, and exploration and planning began in 2002. As of this year (2009), there is no sign of construction.

Water resources are relatively abundant in the south, but there is no way to transport them to the north.

In the same way, the pure water produced by coastal desalination plants cannot be transported to inland areas in a short time.

Everyone was lost in thought, and suddenly Zhang Guanghe came up with an idea.

"Xiaojun, you are not planning to build the Shandong Province water pipeline network. If you connect the Dongying North Line to the South Canal Section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, you should be able to supply the land along the river."

Meng Jianye shook his head: "Dongying Laohuanghekou Plant has only built 17 kilometers of water pipelines, and the straight-line distance between the two places is 288 kilometers. Even if there are plains along the way, the total length of the pipeline is estimated to be 320 to 330 kilometers. .”

"Unless the pipeline is laid directly on the ground, as long as there are no disputes over the land and sufficient pipe materials, it is possible to build one or two kilometers a day. If multi-line upgrading is started, the construction can be completed quickly based on a length of 330 kilometers. .”

The pipes Meng Jianye mentioned are silicon nanotubes specially made by Snail Industry. If they were ordinary pipes, there would be no way to lay them quickly.

Snail Industry is indeed prepared to lay ground water pipes, but it has not been applied in the construction of urban water pipelines. The research on this technology has only been conducted internal small-scale testing.

Zhang Guanghe, Li Xingguo and others discussed it for more than two hours, but still could not make up their mind because the project was too big and they would not be able to bear it if something went wrong.

Zhao Xiaojun suggested: "How about this? Let's build 50 kilometers first as an experimental test. If the effect meets expectations, how about we accelerate the progress?"

"This is a way. I agree to advance it and I will fully cooperate with the land acquisition." Zhang Guanghe also feels that this is the most appropriate approach at present.

Regarding the preparation of the water pipeline, the three parties have initially reached a consensus. If the results of the experimental pipeline meet expectations, they will advance the Dongying North Line while planning the water pipeline in their province.

…

Hengshui, across the river from Dezhou, is suffering from an even more severe drought.

Faced with this situation, even the reserve water in the reservoirs has turned on red lights one after another, the water level has dropped below the warning line, and many reservoirs are on the verge of drying up.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (Southern Canal), which does not have much water to begin with, is almost drained by farmers along the coast.

Many well-drilling teams are busy every day, but they find that this year's motor-driven wells are becoming more and more difficult to dig. They often have to drill to a depth of 70 or 80 meters before groundwater can emerge.

Hengshui, Xinzhuang.

Next to a winter wheat field, farmer Xin Guangmao looked at the motorized well that was pumping water. The amount of water was only less than one-third of previous years.

Faced with this situation, he also looked sad.

You need to know that the cost of drilling a motorized well is at least several thousand yuan, and it may be as much as tens of thousands.

His well was drilled the year before last. It was 58 meters long and cost more than 7,000 yuan in total.

Unexpectedly, the water output has dropped to this level even after three years of use.

Xin Guangmao felt heartbroken at the thought of having to pay thousands of yuan to hire someone to dig a well. But he couldn't do it without digging a well, unless he gave up the more than ten acres of land. But this year, he is about to know his destiny. In addition to farming, he can also What to do.

Suddenly my son's voice came from behind.

"Dad, let's go home for dinner. Sister is back to see you."

"I know, you eat first, I'll water the remaining acres of land." Xin Guangmao shouted while watering.

After working for more than an hour, he drove his tricycle home.

"Xiao Feng, call me grandpa." A young woman in her twenties hurriedly patted her son.

"Grandpa." The little boy shouted in a babyish voice.

Xin Guangmao showed a smile and hugged the little boy: "In a blink of an eye, Xiaofeng has grown so big. Let grandpa see it."

"Dad, hurry up and eat! The food is almost cold. I'm going to heat it up again." The young woman stood up.

Xin Guangmao hurriedly shouted: "No, just eat like this, Xiaolian, Tiezi didn't bully you, right?"

"No, he's pretty good." Xin Ailian shook her head and smiled.

At the dining table, Xin Guangmao was eating leftovers alone, while on the wooden bench beside him, the Xin siblings and their mother were chatting about home affairs.

"Xiao Lian, what's going on over there in Santang? Many fields here don't have water this year."

Listening to her mother's words, Xin Ailian hugged her son and replied: "Santang is fine. The countryside uses tap water to irrigate the fields."

Tap water to water the fields? Xin Guangmao, who was eating Texas Braised Chicken, almost choked. He hurriedly took a sip of water and then asked: "Xiao Lian, do you Santang use tap water to water the fields?"

"Yes, a lot of water pipes have been connected this year. It seems that a new company is doing it."

"How much does the water cost?"

Xin Ailian thought for a while: "It doesn't seem expensive, about sixty-seven cents per square cent. The city also subsidizes part of the money. The watermelon patch at home uses tap water."

"This year is not going well. I don't know if the wheat production will decrease, and the price of food will not go up." Xin Guangmao sighed as he ate.

As the family talked, they turned the topic to Xin Ailian and her brother.

"Nanshan, you are about to graduate this year, what are you going to do?"

Xin Nanshan scratched his head: "Sister, I haven't thought about it yet, but a few classmates plan to go to Shanghai, and I'm thinking about it now."

"How about I introduce you to a job?"

"No, no need." Xin Nanshan shook his head hurriedly, obviously not thinking that his sister had any good prospects.

Xin Ailian was not angry and continued: "Don't be too busy refusing. Listen to me and then make your decision."

"Then, sister, please tell me." Xin Nanshan didn't take it seriously.

"Are you majoring in computer science?"

Xin Nanshan nodded.

"In the blue era of Texas, computer majors are needed. Tiezi's second uncle's son worked as a garbage truck driver during the blue era, earning more than 6,000 yuan a month. He has inside information, but whether he can survive depends on it. You’re on your own.”

Xin Nanshan was stunned: "Blue Era?"