Southern Metropolis Daily:

Providing safe drinking water and adequate supply in rural areas is essential for rural residents' well-being. My question is, what progress and achievements have been made in rural water supply since the 18th CPC National Congress? In line with advancing rural revitalization, what will the MWR do to guarantee water supply in rural areas?

Chen Mingzhong:

Thank you for your question. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have emphasized the issue of drinking water safety in rural areas. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, great efforts have been made to manage the issue. The MWR has collaborated with local governments to construct water supply projects in rural areas, completing a total investment of 466.7 billion yuan. The MWR has guaranteed drinking water safety for 280 million rural residents, improving the water supply for 340 million rural people, with the penetration rate of tap water in rural areas reaching 84%, 19 percentage points higher than in 2012. The problem of carrying water on shoulders generation after generation has been resolved with historical significance.

First, we have set up a complete system of water supply projects. By the end of 2021, a total of 8.27 million water supply projects were completed in rural areas across China, offering services for 900 million people.

Second, we have guaranteed safe drinking water in poverty-stricken rural areas. A total of 17.1 million registered poor people have access to safe drinking water. Many farmers and herders in poverty-stricken areas have realized strides from buckets to tap water facilities.

Third, we have eradicated water-borne diseases. A total of 9.75 million rural residents no longer drink water with excess amounts of fluorine and 1.2 million rural residents no longer have salty water. Chinese farmers bid farewell to high fluorine and salty water.

Fourth, we have stepped up administrative responsibility systems. As for rural water supply, local governments have shouldered the primary responsibility, the water conservancy administrative departments have taken the supervision responsibility and the water supply units assumed the management responsibility. The centralized water supply projects in rural areas have fixed pricing and charging systems and the long-term operation system and mechanism of the project have kept improving. 

In order to better meet people's yearning for better lives, the next step for the MWR will be to continue increasing its efforts in promoting the construction of rural water supply projects to further ensure safe drinking water in rural areas in accordance with the overall deployment and requirements of rural revitalization. The work will focus on the following aspects:

First, we will fully consolidate and build on the achievements of rural water supply projects, and meet people's basic needs. We will strengthen the comprehensive assessment and dynamic monitoring of drinking water safety in rural areas. By sticking to the dynamic zero policy, we will make sure that drinking water problems are solved as soon as they are found. Second, we will accelerate the construction of large-scale water supply projects. On the basis of building stable water sources, we will carry out large-scale water supply projects and standardized transformation of small-scale projects in light of local conditions. The integration of urban and rural water supplies will be encouraged in areas where conditions permit. Third, we will carry out special actions to improve the quality of rural water supply and ensure water quality and safety. We will speed up the construction of water source protection areas to fully ensure drinking water safety in rural areas, put in place purification and disinfection facilities and equipment, and improve the water quality assurance system which goes from water sources to faucets. Fourth, we will constantly improve the long-term management and maintenance mechanism to yield greater benefits. We will promote coordinated regional management and specialized management and maintenance of the rural water supply, and improve the pricing mechanism for water supply. In particular, we will strengthen digital empowerment to realize smart water supply. Thank you.