Some 500 million Chinese farmers have drunk tap water and more than
100 million farmers have access to hygienic toilets, according to
sources from the fourth national rural water administration reform
meeting.
The meeting, held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, also
announced on Saturday that so far a total of 674,000 waterworks
have been built in the country's rural areas and 48.91 million
motor-pumped wells have been dug.
In
recent years, the Chinese government has increased investment and
increased international cooperation to improve hygienic conditions
in the countryside.
All sectors of society were also encouraged to sponsor the new
construction of waterworks and modern toilets in rural areas.
By
the end of 2000, 880 million Chinese rural residents, or 92.38
percent of the country's entire rural population, had benefited
from the government's tireless efforts to improve water
quality.
In
addition, about 106 million rural dwellers had progressed to modern
toilets, taking the incidence of such toilets in rural areas to
44.84 percent.
Ma
Xiaowei, vice-minister of Public Health, said improving water
quality and hygiene standards in rural areas would prevent or curb
the occurrence and spread of some infectious diseases and help
boost rural economy.
(Xinhua News
Agency April 28, 2002)