To thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on safeguarding rural drinking water safety, fully carry out the Guiding Opinions of the Ministry of Water Resources on Accelerating the High-Quality Development of Rural Water Supply, actively advance county-level unified management of rural water supply, focus on solving the difficulties in the management and maintenance of rural water supply projects, and systematically improve the management and maintenance level of such projects, the relevant matters are hereby notified as follows:

I. Significance

The Party Central Committee and the State Council have always attached great importance to the work of safeguarding rural drinking water safety. Through continuous efforts, a relatively complete project system has been basically established, and the level of management and maintenance has been continuously improved. However, it should also be noted that rural water supply projects are widely distributed with numerous sites, and small and scattered projects account for a large proportion. Some projects are managed by village collectives or local residents themselves, resulting in low levels of professional operation, unstable water supply, and strong feedback from the people. In recent years, some provinces have explored and implemented county-level unified management of rural water supply, where professional companies or dedicated management agencies undertake unified management, operation, and maintenance of rural water supply within the county or regional areas under their jurisdiction. This has enabled professional management and maintenance of projects, significantly improved management standards, and achieved widespread public satisfaction with positive results.

Practice has shown that the realization of county-level unified management is conducive to strengthening project management and maintenance, improving overall service levels, and ensuring the quantity and quality of rural water supply. Water administrative departments at all levels should further enhance their political stance, fully recognize that county-level unified management is a key means to improve the rural water supply management responsibility system and promote the high-quality development of rural water supply, as well as an inherent requirement for advancing the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas and fostering a new development pattern. They must earnestly perform their duties, strengthen overall planning, adapt measures to local conditions, implement classified policies, and accelerate promotion.

II. General Requirements

Aiming at the requirements of basically providing modern living conditions in rural areas and building livable, industry-friendly, and harmonious villages, in accordance with the general idea of "government supervision, enterprise operation, professional management, and socialized services", establish or introduce professional water supply enterprises, accelerate the advancement of county-level unified management of rural water supply, and promote unified management of urban and rural water supply where conditions permit.

Fully implement the main responsibilities of local governments for county-level unified management of rural water supply, the supervision responsibilities of water administrative and other industry departments, and the operation and management responsibilities of unified management entities. With the goals of meeting water quality and quantity standards and providing management services to every household, establish and improve a county-level professional management and maintenance platform for rural water supply, and improve and optimize the county-level unified management standard service system, operation management system, supervision responsibility system, and service guarantee system. Achieve full coverage of professional management and maintenance of rural water supply without leaving out a single household or individual, ensure the sound operation of water supply projects, enable farmers to enjoy high-quality water supply services, and allow implementing entities to obtain reasonable returns. Maximize the realization of the same water source, same network, same quality, same service, and same supervision in the same water supply area.

III. Key Tasks

(I) Establish a Promotion Mechanism for County-Level Unified Management

Incorporate county-level unified management into the target tasks of the provincial-level high-quality development plan for rural water supply, and clarify promotion mechanisms suitable for local realities, including operation and maintenance of county-level unified management, water price formation and water fee collection, tax incentives, follow-up scheduling, and supervision and assessment.

Formulate or adjust the water prices of rural centralized water supply projects in accordance with the principles of "covering costs, ensuring reasonable returns, promoting water conservation, and sharing burdens fairly", while fully considering the affordability of rural residents. For rural water supply projects where water prices cannot reflect operating costs or meet the 24-hour water supply operating costs, establish a fiscal subsidy mechanism in accordance with laws and regulations. Areas with conditions may include fiscal subsidies in the annual fiscal budget and medium- and long-term fiscal plans to guide the participation of social forces.

Accelerate the installation of water metering equipment, promote metered water charging, innovate water fee collection methods, and improve the water fee collection rate.

(II) Clarify the County-Level Unified Management Model and Implementing Entity

Based on factors such as the distribution of towns and villages, government financial capacity, population size, and project layout, fully consider the actual situation of rural water supply projects within the county, and scientifically determine the county-level unified management model.

Counties (cities, districts, banners) with a high degree of urban-rural water supply integration and rural water supply scale shall rely on urban waterworks, urban-rural water supply companies, and water utilities to realize integrated urban-rural water supply management.

Counties (cities, districts, banners) with a large number of projects, low scale, diverse management entities, or complex ownership structures shall rely on rural water supply companies, water supply stations, etc., to undertake the management and maintenance of all rural water supply projects in the county or regional areas. They may also realize county-level unified management through the integrated investment, construction, and management model.

In Tibetan areas, pastoral areas, and other regions with scattered and low-density populations, third-party professional technical service companies or institutions may be entrusted to implement county-level unified management.

Determine the unified management implementing entity through methods such as concessionary operation, authorized operation, and purchase of social services, and sign management service agreements simultaneously to clarify the service scope, standard requirements, and responsibilities of all parties, ensuring full coverage of unified services.

(III) Conduct Professional Management and Maintenance for County-Level Unified Management

County-level water administrative departments shall urge unified management entities to comprehensively strengthen the whole-chain and all-link management and services from water sources, waterworks, water quality, and pipe networks to users, unify standards and requirements for management and maintenance, water supply quality, and operation services, and assume unified professional management and maintenance responsibilities for rural water supply projects and water supply operations within their jurisdiction.

Improve the professional management organization. Scientifically set job responsibilities, establish internal control systems, and build a professional management and operation team responsible for daily inspections of rural water supply equipment, chemical distribution, pipe maintenance, emergency repairs, and water quality testing.

Improve professional management standards and processes. Formulate management and maintenance standards for professional operation and management, inspection and maintenance, water supply quality, user services, repair and emergency response, emergency water supply, and work safety; standardize standardized processes; and operate in compliance with laws and regulations.

Strengthen performance appraisal and link it to professional operation management and water supply service quality. Enhance technical guidance and professional training, standardize operation management and daily water quality testing, and ensure professional management, efficient operation, and water quality safety.

Establish an intelligent management and service platform to improve the digital, networked, and intelligent level of rural water supply management. Promote remote intelligent water meters and prepaid charging to improve the water fee collection rate. Implement one-stop convenient services for users such as application for connection, repair, and payment both online and offline. Implement systems for information release, water quality and service disclosure, and 24-hour service.

Enhance emergency response capabilities. Prepare emergency plans, implement emergency material reserves, conduct timely drills, and properly respond to emergencies. Improve the mechanism for accepting, responding to, and following up on issues, smooth communication channels, and efficiently respond to and handle problems.

IV. Guarantee Measures

(I) Strengthen Organizational Leadership

Further consolidate local responsibilities, study and issue major policies for the promotion of county-level unified management, create favorable conditions for the role of unified management entities, coordinate and solve prominent problems, meet the reasonable demands of unified management entities, and ensure the smooth implementation of county-level unified management of rural water supply.

(II) Strengthen Financial Support

Improve preferential policies for rural water supply in terms of finance, finance, production electricity, construction land, taxation, and water resource fees, leverage the synergy of policies, and guide the promotion of county-level unified management.

For counties (cities, districts, banners) implementing county-level unified management, provide preferential support through central fiscal funds for connecting and advancing rural revitalization, central reservoir resettlement support funds, and maintenance funds for rural water supply projects.

(III) Strengthen Supervision and Management

Establish supervision mechanisms such as scheduling and notification to keep abreast of the progress of county-level unified management. Conduct quantitative assessments of unified management entities in terms of water quantity and quality, water fee collection, operation of facilities and equipment, pipe network maintenance, and public complaints, and link the assessment results to the arrangement of maintenance funds.

Strengthen credit evaluation and management. For entities that fail to perform their duties, provide delayed services, fail to meet quality standards, or fail to meet water quality requirements, order rectification within a time limit. Those that repeatedly fail to rectify shall be included in the bad credit record, have their performance contracts terminated, and be prohibited from participating in the management and maintenance services of rural water supply projects.

The Ministry of Water Resources and relevant basin management agencies shall strengthen the follow-up scheduling of the county-level unified management of rural water supply.

(IV) Strengthen Publicity and Guidance

Local water administrative departments at all levels shall explore and promote the models and practices of county-level unified management of rural water supply in different regions, strengthen the summary of typical experiences, enhance exchange and mutual learning, create a favorable development atmosphere, and promote full coverage of county-level unified management and professional management and maintenance of rural water supply.

General Office of the Ministry of Water Resources

March 22, 2024