About 500 million people will see an end to the days of drinking
water of dubious quality over the next five years, as China invests
to provide clean drinking water to rural populations, resources
officials said on Thursday.
Rural populations in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous
region will benefit from government funds of over 270 million yuan
(about US$35 million), said local officials.
In the last five years, the Chinese government has invested more
than two billion yuan (about US$257 million) on water provision
projects for nine million peasants and herdsmen, officials said.
But 5,740,000 people -- half of the rural population in Xinjiang
Uygur autonomous region -- still have to drink unclean water,
according to the latest survey by the local water resources
bureau.
Meanwhile, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region will devote 420
million yuan (about US$54 million) to clean water projects for its
rural population of forty million, local officials said.
(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2007)
