China’s new national standard for drinking water quality should take effect this week. The new standard is designed to make sure that residents in both rural and urban areas have access to a clean tap water supply.
Zhang Chengyu, an official with the Ministry of Health, told Xinhuanet.com that the current standard, issued in 1985, is outdated and unable to protect citizens of China from health hazards.
The new standard intends to raise the quality of tap water by better eliminating microorganisms and improving on the disinfection process. The new system will incorporate 71 more quality indicators into the monitoring process on top of the original 35. The new technique aims to create a uniform standard for both urban and rural areas.
Zhang also expressed to Xinhuanet.com that the new standard was prepared to conform to the World Health Organization’s guidelines for drinking-water quality.
Source: Xinhuanet.com