The operator of Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear plant started pumping groundwater today in a bid to reduce the flow of radiation-contaminated water.

Tokyo Electric is struggling to store an increasing volume of contaminated water at the plant.

The so-called “groundwater bypass plan” is designed to divert groundwater before it reaches Fukushima Daiichi.

Tepco estimates that each day 400 tons of groundwater flows into the plant’s reactor buildings.

The project was made possible with the approval of Fukushima’s fisheries federation, which initially opposed the plan.

Tepco will pump several hundred tons of water from 12 ground wells into tanks.

If testing shows the water to be below government radiation standards, it will be released into the Pacific from next month.