Provision of safe water 'top priority'

Construction of a water-saving mechanism is essential to ensuring safe drinking water for millions of people in Gansu, Xu Wenhai, director of the provincial water resources bureau, said yesterday.

"As one of the poorest and driest areas in China, providing drinking water for every person is a social welfare concern that comes even before food," Xu, an NPC deputy, said on the sidelines of the congress.