China is adopting a new national drinking water standard starting this month, but such a standard should be implemented step by step with a strict accountability system and effective supervision, says an article in the People's Daily. Excerpts:

The new standard includes 71 new benchmarks for tap water quality tests to improve water safety and requires a total of 106 tests, a significant increase from the tests under the 1985 drinking water hygiene code.

The new code tightens up the control of organic substances, microbes and disinfectant byproducts in drinking water. The standard is expected to be adopted by all the provincial capitals by 2015. By then, people will be able to directly drink tap water.

This is good news for the public. The question is how to implement it.

Water conditions vary from place to place, and so do the processing technologies, pipe network conditions and testing methods.

It is very difficult to implement the code all over the country in a short time. So the standard should be implemented step by step with a strict accountability system and effective supervision. Water supply authorities and public health departments should cooperate fully with watchdogs.

The testing results of water quality should also be disclosed regularly to the media and the public.

It will take time and all the parties' joint efforts to finally translate the new standards into a real improvement of water safety and quality.

Translated by Li Yang