A Ministry of Water Resources official released that there are about 270 million farmers with no access to safe drinking water. Besides pollution, excessive fluoride arsenic, manganese, brackishness and other issues are found in drinking water in some of China's rural areas. “According to the tests conducted by the Ministry of Health last year and this year, roughly only 48% of the water projects that have been completed meet government standards. When people look at the water, it appears very clear but the bacteria exceeds the standard,” said the official.

Source: China Economy Net, November 23, 2009
http://www.ce.cn/xwzx/gnsz/gdxw/200911/23/t20091123_20480090.shtml