The impact of investment on drinking water quality in rural China

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-269
Author(s):  
Ai Yue ◽  
Yaojiang Shi ◽  
Renfu Luo ◽  
Linxiu Zhang ◽  
Natalie Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Representative Data ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Although access to safe drinking water is one of the most important health-related infrastructure programs in the world, drinking water remains a large problem in China today, especially in rural areas. Despite increased government investment in water resource protection and management, there is still an absence of academic studies that are able to document what path the investment has taken and whether it has had any tangible impact. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of drinking water investment on drinking water in China. Design/methodology/approach The authors make use of nationally representative data from 2005 and 2012 to measure the impact of drinking water investment among 2,028 rural households in 101 villages across five provinces. Both ordinary least squares regression and probit regression are used to analyze the correlates and the impact of drinking water investment. Findings The authors demonstrate that water quality was likely a significant problem in 2004 but that China’s investment into drinking water appears to have resulted in initial improvements during the study period. The authors show that the most significant change came about in terms of hardware: villages that received more drinking water investment now have more piped tap water and more access to water treatment infrastructure (disinfecting and filtering facilities). High rates of rural resident satisfaction with drinking water suggest the effects of drinking water investment are being felt at the village level. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study on drinking water investment over time in rural China using nationally representative data.

Inequities in the allocation of medical resources in China’s Township Health Centers

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 637-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Ma ◽  
Linxiu Zhang ◽  
Matthew Boswell
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Health Centers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Representative Study ◽  
Use Of Data ◽  
Fixed Assets ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Academy Of Sciences

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to produce a high-quality measure of the nature of healthcare resources available in China’s Township Health Centers (THCs), paying particular attention to equity between high- and low-income areas. Design/methodology/approach This study makes use of data from a nearly nationally representative survey in rural China conducted by the Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2011. The samples of towns were selected randomly from 25 counties located in five provinces from different regions of China. Data were collected through questionnaires and direct observation. Findings The THCs located in rich areas have higher levels of human resources than poor areas. THCs in rich areas also have more fixed assets than those in poor areas. In fact, even though the Chinese Ministry of Health mandates that all THCs have certain basic levels of medical equipment and facilities, many THCs in poor areas do not have them. The allocation of mandated equipment is unequal. Practical implications These findings suggest that China’s government should pay more attention to THCs located in poor areas, especially in light of new initiatives to improve health care in poor rural areas. Originality/value This is the first nationally representative study to employ rigorous empirics to investigate the extent of inequality in allocation of resources within THCs across China.

scholarly journals Impacts of temperature alteration on the drinking water quality stored in plastic bottles

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelkader T. Ahmed ◽  
Mohammed Emad ◽  
Mohammed A. Bkary
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Bottled Water ◽  
Physiochemical Parameters ◽  
Heating Water ◽  
Long Time ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Concentration Levels

AbstractMany people prefer to drink bottled water instead off the tap water. The bottled water is stored in the plastic bottles sometimes for long time. These plastic bottles might leach out some harmful materials into the water especially when exposed to temperature alteration, which may affect human health. This research work focused on investigating the effect of changing temperature on the bottled water quality. The work studied the effect of heating water in plastic bottles by sun, oven, and microwave. The study included also the impact of cooling and freezing the bottled waters. Results showed that temperature alterations caused changes in some physicochemical properties of bottled waters such as decreasing the values of pH and TDS and increasing levels of fluoride and chloride. In addition, the concentration levels of some physiochemical parameters exceeded the permissible values for drinking water. With temperature alterations, all levels of heavy metals in bottled waters were minimal except some small concentrations of copper and zinc. Results confirmed also differences in behavior between the bottled water brands exposed to the same temperature alterations. Heating bottled waters above 50 °C is alarming problem on the water quality. This is because above this degree, many alternations were observed in the water content. The outcomes of this work are useful for improving the current legislation on bottled waters and their storage.

The impact of trade liberalization on poverty reduction in rural China

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 683-694
Author(s):  
Jun Wang ◽  
Yong Hu
Keyword(s):  
Trade Liberalization ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Rural Poverty ◽  
Probit Model ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how trade liberalization influences rural poverty reduction in China.Design/methodology/approachThe authors make use of China Family Panel Studies survey data, take annual income of farmers of RMB2,300 and RMB3,450 as the poverty lines (poverty line 1 and poverty line 2, respectively). Residents below poverty line 1 and poverty line 2 are 2,580 and 2,661, respectively. Probit model is used to estimate the impact of trade liberalization on the poverty probability. Income-deciding equation is used to estimate the impact of trade liberalization on the income level of poor residents in rural areas. Income-deciding equation is also used to examine the transmission mechanism of trade liberalization affecting rural poverty.FindingsThis study finds that trade liberalization can reduce the poverty probability of rural residents and promote the income growth of poor residents in rural areas. Trade liberalization increases the income of poor residents and reduces poverty through transmission mechanisms such as promoting economic growth and financial expenditure.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study to quantitatively model the impact of trade liberalization on rural poverty reduction in China using residents’ survey data.

scholarly journals Assessment of rainwater harvesting and maintenance practice for better drinking water quality in rural areas

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dung A. Dao ◽  
Son H. Tran ◽  
Huyen T. T. Dang ◽  
Viet-Anh Nguyen ◽  
Viet Anh Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Water System ◽  
Water Reservoir ◽  
Drinking Water Quality ◽  
P Value ◽  
Operation And Maintenance ◽  
The Impact

Abstract In many areas of the world, rainwater has been collected and consumed by people. Our research aims to assess the use of rainwater and the impact of operation and maintenance activities of the rainwater system on drinking water quality in rural areas where there is no access to a public drinking water system. Through the questionnaire, direct visits, interviews and sampling of water at surveyed households (HHs), it was found that 100 and 98% of surveyed HHs used rainwater for drinking and cooking, respectively. Nearly, 80% of them were aware of the necessity of frequent reservoir cleaning as well as first-flush removal. Cleaning the water reservoir had a significant impact on water quality, in particular the total dissolved solids (p-value < 0.05). The use of strainers and more frequency of cleaning the catchment roofs and gutters would make the lower turbidity in water. However, the use of strainers would reduce the dissolution of oxygen in the reservoirs. A recommendation on the frequency of maintaining the rainwater harvesting systems was proposed after assessment of the operation and maintenance behaviors at surveyed HHs.

scholarly journals Assessing the Impact of a Risk-Based Intervention on Piped Water Quality in Rural Communities: The Case of Mid-Western Nepal

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorian Tosi Robinson ◽  
Ariane Schertenleib ◽  
Bal Kunwar ◽  
Rubika Shrestha ◽  
Madan Bhatta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Household Water Treatment ◽  
Microbial Water Quality ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
The Impact

Ensuring universal access to safe drinking water is a global challenge, especially in rural areas. This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of a risk-based strategy to improve drinking water safety for five gravity-fed piped schemes in rural communities of the Mid-Western Region of Nepal. The strategy was based on establishing community-led monitoring of the microbial water quality and the sanitary status of the schemes. The interventions examined included field-robust laboratories, centralized data management, targeted infrastructure improvements, household hygiene and filter promotion, and community training. The results indicate a statistically significant improvement in the microbial water quality eight months after intervention implementation, with the share of taps and household stored water containers meeting the international guidelines increasing from 7% to 50% and from 17% to 53%, respectively. At the study endline, all taps had a concentration of <10 CFU Escherichia coli/100 mL. These water quality improvements were driven by scheme-level chlorination, improved hygiene behavior, and the universal uptake of household water treatment. Sanitary inspection tools did not predict microbial water quality and, alone, are not sufficient for decision making. Implementation of this risk-based water safety strategy in remote rural communities can support efforts towards achieving universal water safety.

scholarly journals An Analysis Unveiling the Habitation Coverage of Different States and Union Territories under the National Rural Drinking Water Program in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 182-188
Author(s):  
N. Divya Lalitha ◽  
Sunayana Manipal ◽  
Prabu. D
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Well Water ◽  
Safe Drinking Water ◽  
Drinking Waters ◽  
Union Territory

Background: National Rural Drinking Water Program (NRDWP) attempts to provide each and every individual a sufficient amount of safe water for drinking, cooking and other essential household needs on a maintainable premise, with a base water quality standard, which ought to be helpfully open consistently and in all circumstances. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze and unveil the habitations covered by the National Rural Drinking Water Program in different states and union territories of India. Materials and method: Secondary data regarding the total households in each states/ union territory and the households covered by the National Rural Drinking Water Program, Households Having Safe Drinking Water supply in India as per Census 2011 and availability of safe drinking water in households and the source of drinking waters was extracted from the 2018 National Health Profile’s annual publication by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI). Results: In India,43% of the households use tap water and 11% use well water.46.6% of the households have water within the premises, 35.8% of the households have water near the premises and 17.6% have it far away. 81.08% are fully covered habitations under the program and only 3.34% of the habitations in India are quality affected habitations. Conclusion: Although the targets have not been achieved, this program has attempted to provide safe drinking water to many people in different states and union territories in India. Keywords: Rural areas, Habitations, Drinking water, India..

The impact of Internet use on adolescent learning outcomes: evidence from rural China

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Li ◽  
Yue Ma ◽  
Dimitris Friesen ◽  
Zhonggen Zhang ◽  
Songqing Jin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Rural China ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adolescent Learning ◽  
The Impact

PurposeInternet use has become particularly prevalent among adolescents, prompting much thought and concern about both its potential benefits and adverse effects on adolescent learning outcomes. Much of the empirical literature on the impact of Internet use on adolescent learning outcomes is mixed, and few studies examine the causal relationship between the two in rural China. In order to bridge these gaps, we use empirical analysis to investigate the effect of Internet use on the learning outcomes of adolescents in rural China.Design/methodology/approachWe use fixed effect models with samples drawn from a large nationally representative dataset (the China Family Panel Studies—CFPS) to identify the causal impacts of Internet use on the learning outcomes of three cohorts (Cohort A (N = 540), Cohort B (N = 287) and Cohort C (N = 827)) of adolescents in rural China.FindingsThe results of the descriptive analysis show a continued increase in the number of adolescents accessing the Internet and the amount of time they spend online. The results of the fixed effect models show that Internet use has positive (in many of the analyses), but mostly insignificant impacts, on the learning outcomes of adolescents. In the sets of results that find significant associations between Internet use and learning outcomes, the measured effects are moderate.Originality/valueThis study investigates the causal relationship between Internet use and adolescent learning outcomes in rural China. The findings claim that there is not a great need to worry about adverse effects of Internet use on adolescent learning development. Attention, however, should focus on seeking ways to improve the positive effects of the Internet use on adolescent learning outcomes. The study will provide a reference and experience for the development of education and the Internet in rural areas and promote the integrated development of urban and rural areas in China.

Changes in returns to education for off-farm wage employment: evidence from rural China

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weidong Wang ◽  
Yongqing Dong ◽  
Renfu Luo ◽  
Yunli Bai ◽  
Linxiu Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Returns To Education ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Wage Determination ◽  
Heckman Selection Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nationally Representative

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the role of education in the labor market and to understand how returns to education change over time in rural China.Design/methodology/approachUsing nationally representative survey data from 2004 to 2015, this study provides insights on wage determination in the labor market and examines how the returns to education in rural China differ with time and educational endowment. This study applies ordinary least squares estimation and the Heckman selection model to estimate the returns to education.FindingsThe returns to education decreased during the observed years from more than 6 percent in 2004 to only about 3 percent in 2011, rising to nearly 4 percent in 2015. The overall trend is robust and observed within groups defined by education. Additionally, the returns to education vary greatly with educational endowment. Tertiary education has always maintained a high rate of returns at nearly 10 percent, while returns to senior high school education and below have gradually diminished.Originality/valueThe authors believe that the results will not only enrich studies on the returns to education in rural China, but also provide a basis for diagnosing the changes of rural labor market in the early twenty-first century.

scholarly journals Biofilm Composition and Threshold Concentration for Growth of Legionella pneumophila on Surfaces Exposed to Flowing Warm Tap Water without Disinfectant

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dick van der Kooij ◽  
Geo L. Bakker ◽  
Ronald Italiaander ◽  
Harm R. Veenendaal ◽  
Bart A. Wullings
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Legionella Pneumophila ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Threshold Concentration ◽  
Plate Count ◽  
Water Quality Criteria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hydraulic Conditions

ABSTRACT Legionella pneumophila in potable water installations poses a potential health risk, but quantitative information about its replication in biofilms in relation to water quality is scarce. Therefore, biofilm formation on the surfaces of glass and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) in contact with tap water at 34 to 39°C was investigated under controlled hydraulic conditions in a model system inoculated with biofilm-grown L. pneumophila. The biofilm on glass (average steady-state concentration, 23 ± 9 pg ATP cm−2) exposed to treated aerobic groundwater (0.3 mg C liter−1; 1 μg assimilable organic carbon [AOC] liter−1) did not support growth of the organism, which also disappeared from the biofilm on CPVC (49 ± 9 pg ATP cm−2) after initial growth. L. pneumophila attained a level of 4.3 log CFU cm−2 in the biofilms on glass (1,055 ± 225 pg ATP cm−2) and CPVC (2,755 ± 460 pg ATP cm−2) exposed to treated anaerobic groundwater (7.9 mg C liter−1; 10 μg AOC liter−1). An elevated biofilm concentration and growth of L. pneumophila were also observed with tap water from the laboratory. The Betaproteobacteria Piscinibacter and Methyloversatilis and amoeba-resisting Alphaproteobacteria predominated in the clones and isolates retrieved from the biofilms. In the biofilms, the Legionella colony count correlated significantly with the total cell count (TCC), heterotrophic plate count, ATP concentration, and presence of Vermamoeba vermiformis. This amoeba was rarely detected at biofilm concentrations of <100 pg ATP cm−2. A threshold concentration of approximately 50 pg ATP cm−2 (TCC = 1 × 106 to 2 × 106 cells cm−2) was derived for growth of L. pneumophila in biofilms. IMPORTANCE Legionella pneumophila is the etiologic agent in more than 10,000 cases of Legionnaires' disease that are reported annually worldwide and in most of the drinking water-associated disease outbreaks reported in the United States. The organism proliferates in biofilms on surfaces exposed to warm water in engineered freshwater installations. An investigation with a test system supplied with different types of warm drinking water without disinfectant under controlled hydraulic conditions showed that treated aerobic groundwater (0.3 mg liter−1 of organic carbon) induced a low biofilm concentration that supported no or very limited growth of L. pneumophila. Elevated biofilm concentrations and L. pneumophila colony counts were observed on surfaces exposed to two types of extensively treated groundwater, containing 1.8 and 7.9 mg C liter−1 and complying with the microbial water quality criteria during distribution. Control measures in warm tap water installations are therefore essential for preventing growth of L. pneumophila.

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