As central China continues to suffer through a long drought, environmental protection departments of Hubei Province are being called to monitor water conditions more frequently to ensure the safety of drinking water.

On Tuesday, Hubei's Environmental Protection Department released a statement warning all areas plagued by the severe drought to be vigilant and safeguard the quality of drinking water.

It asked local environmental departments to set up special monitoring teams to increase the frequency of water-quality inspections and take effective measures in the case of any hazards or excessive pollution.

As of Sunday, the dry weather had left more than three million people short of drinking water, said a statement from the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFDH).

Since late autumn of 2010, Hubei has been overwhelmed by the worst drought in fifty years, suffering significant crop loss and damage to the environment.