Premier Li said ordinary citizens have the last word when it comes to assessing whether local authorities carried out their responsibilities concerning drinking water quality.

He made the comments during his visit to the Ministry of Water Resources in Beijing on Nov 24.

He looked at various liability statements related to a rural drinking water safety project signed by several provincial governments, and said the statement is just a piece of paper — and it is the implementation of the project that really matters.

Li also said official data should not be the only information used in project evaluations, as third-party opinion is equally important in the detection and prevention of fraud.

Premier Li addresses a conference at the Ministry of Water Resources on Nov 24, 2014.

Premier Li addresses a conference at the Ministry of Water Resources on Nov 24, 2014.

The Premier talks with a crowd during his visit to the Ministry of Water Resources on Nov 24, 2014.