China has launched a national center to promote drinking water safety in rural areas, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The center was formed on the base of a former organization engaged in developing the rural drainage and irrigation system.

Apart from the previous work, one important task of the new center is to help carry out plans and projects on rural water resources. It is also responsible for developing and promoting new technologies in drinkable water supply for rural areas, the ministry's website said.

Zhai Haohui, vice minister of water resources, said at the launching ceremony on Friday that drinking water safety in rural areas should be a top priority of the country's water resources management in the future years.

China has made the goal to provide all its rural residents with safe potable water by 2015. Statistics released by the ministry in last September showed that 312 million Chinese villagers were facing water shortages or unsafe water contaminated by fluorine, arsenic, high levels of salt or other organic or industrial pollutants.

Source: Xinhua