LHASA, July 23 -- China will invest heavily to carry safe drinking water to all temples around the southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region within 2014, said regional authorities on Wednesday.

The one-time investment of 495 million yuan (about 79.2 million U.S. dollars) will give 1,466 temples access to drinking water, according to the regional water resources department.

About 50,000 people, including monks, nuns, temple staff and nearby residents, will benefit from this project, said Chagxi, a senior official with the department.

The project is intended to end the difficulties Tibetan temples face in sourcing safe water.

Most of the monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism were built in mountainous or remote regions, Chagxi noted.

Therefore, he said, the project will provide water through three means: digging wells, installing high-pressure water pumps, and laying pipelines.

In the 2005-2013 period, China invested 2.22 billion yuan to carry safe drinking water and daily water to rural Tibetan residents. To date, more than 86 percent of Tibet's rural areas are served by tap water.