Six departments jointly issued the "Notice on Further Strengthening the Operation, Management and Protection of Rural Water Supply Projects"

Recently, the Ministry of Water Resources, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention jointly issued the "Notice on Further Strengthening the Operation, Management and Maintenance of Rural Water Supply Projects" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice"), focusing on building a full-chain regulatory system from water sources to faucets, deploying key tasks of operation and maintenance for the current and future periods, and improving rural water supply security capabilities and operational service levels.

The "Notice" puts forward clear requirements around five key tasks:

1. Strengthen the guarantee of rural water supply quantity and quality. It is required to strengthen water resources management and water source protection, equip and standardize the operation of purification and disinfection facilities and equipment as required, and strengthen water quality testing and monitoring.

2. Strengthen engineering emergency supply guarantee: scientifically arrange emergency backup water sources, and ensure disaster resistance and supply according to local conditions.

3. Steadily advance rural water supply price reform. When clearly formulating and adjusting prices, cost supervision or investigation must be carried out strictly in accordance with regulations. On the basis of adhering to the public welfare attribute and ensuring people's livelihood, factors such as water supply costs, production capacity utilization, farmers' affordability, and financial subsidies must be comprehensively considered; rural non-residential water and residential water prices are classified and priced according to different principles; urban-rural integration projects implement the same price in rural areas and cities where they are located; explore the implementation of a two-part water price of "basic water price + metered water price"; and improve the water fee collection mechanism.

4. Accelerate the unified management of rural water supply in counties. It is required that areas that have not yet achieved unified county management are required to quickly implement professional management and protection, and areas that have achieved unified county management are required to gradually implement digital and intelligent management. At the same time, in accordance with the requirements of the central government's regular assistance policies, we will continue to consolidate the results of rural water supply guarantee and secure the bottom line of rural water supply safety.

5. Implement support policies. Clarify that fiscal funds at all levels will support the operation and maintenance of rural water supply projects in accordance with regulations, and strengthen supervision and management of the use of fiscal subsidy funds. Encourage social capital to participate in the operation, management and maintenance of rural water supply projects through the integrated model of fundraising, investment, construction and management. Local governments will continue to implement preferential policies for rural water supply, electricity, land use, taxation and other preferential policies. Those with low pipe network leakage rates, water quantity and quality standards, adequate complaint handling, strong emergency support, high-quality and efficient services, and technological innovation and improvement will be rewarded based on local realities, forcing water supply units to reduce costs and increase efficiency.

In the next step, the Ministry of Water Resources will work with relevant departments to guide local implementation to ensure that the project is managed by people, with money, and with systems, so that it can be completed, managed well, and benefited for a long time, so as to enhance rural residents' sense of access to water, happiness, and security.