BEIJING — China has managed to resolve drinking water safety problems for its entire impoverished population, according to the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) on Aug 21. 

The country has improved water supply services for a total of 256 million people in rural areas as of the end of July, with 17.1 million impoverished people getting access to clean water, Tian Xuebin, vice-minister of MWR, told a press conference.

By the end of June, the construction of safe drinking water projects in seven counties of Sichuan province had been fully completed, marking that safe drinking water is now accessible to the whole impoverished population, Tian said.

The move not only brought direct benefits to the poor, but also prompted industrial development in local regions, said Han Zhenzhong, chief engineer of the projects.

The MWR will keep an eye on prominent problems and weak links, and further construct and improve water supply infrastructure in rural areas, Tian added.

China will invest more funds raised through special bonds to support modern agricultural facilities and safe drinking water projects, according to the government work report.