Remote villages across Yongning County of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region have been connected to a safe water supply thanks to a newly-completed water project.

The project, launched in August 2010 and concluded on Nov. 27, has ensured that 100,000 people in 44 villages of Yongning will have access to safe water for drinking.

People in the county had long suffered from a severe shortage of safe water because the area's surface water contained excessive amounts of fluorin and iron.

The project was initiated after local authorities increased their efforts to provide safe drinking water after Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the region.

During an inspection to a well-drilling site at Yuanlin Village of southern Yongning on March 23, 2010, President Hu stressed that efforts be made to ensure more people have access to safe water supplies.