China's Ministry of Water Resources announced Tuesday that rural tap water coverage reached 96 percent by the end of 2025. Large-scale projects now serve 71 percent of the rural population, with 72 percent of counties using unified management.
By the end of 2025, China had nearly 3.82 million rural water supply projects forming a network for 850 million residents. The number of people relying on water cellars and tanks fell 79 percent from the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan, areas lifted from poverty completed 914.9 billion yuan in water conservancy investment, including 145.5 billion yuan in key counties. Rural water supply construction secured 590.28 billion yuan, with local bonds, loans and social capital covering 80 percent.
The ministry aims to raise coverage to 97 percent by the end of 2026 and 98 percent by 2030.
