YINCHUAN, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tap water has reached 95 percent of impoverished rural areas in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, as the government increases investment to guarantee safe drinking water.

This year, Ningxia authorities have allocated 90 million yuan (around 12.9 million U.S. dollars) of national funds to poor areas, especially rural areas with a dearth of safe drinking water.

By October, the regional government had invested 360 million yuan to consolidate water projects in the countryside. Authorities built water-testing labs and set up supervision hotlines for the public.

China is enhancing efforts to provide safe drinking water to all parts of the country. In October, a senior official called for more efforts to satisfy the need of the poor population in terms of compulsory education, basic medical care, safe housing and drinking water.