Drinking water shortage solved for 60 mln rural population (Xinhua) Updated: 2005-10-13 22:00
About 60 million people in China's vast rural areas had been helped out of
the drinking water shortage from 2000 to 2004, thanks to the more than 800,000
newly-built water supply projects, said Zhai Haohui, vice ministry of Water
Resources, here Thursday.
Speaking at the 2005 national farmland and water conservancy construction
conference, Zhai said China invested 20 billion yuan (2.5 billion US dollars)
during the past five years in drinking water facilities building.
Zhai said though China has achieved great achievements in watersupply, many
people, especially those who live in mountainous areas, pasturing areas and some
places which are stricken by severe droughts, still suffer serious drinking
water shortage.
The vice minister said till the end of 2004 the drinking water supply
difficulties in rural areas were basically solved and in the next step the
Ministry of Water Resources will shift their focal points toward the safety of
the water.
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