Large water tanks ensure safe supply for S China's Guangxi

Villagers from south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region used to be haunted by two problems: obtaining drinking water and making sure it was safe. Nowadays, thanks to the construction of collective water tanks, they can ensure both. 

An aerial photo of Longlutun residential area. (Photo/Yan Lizheng)

In order to collect rain water for human and animal consumption, villagers in the karst mountainous areas in Xincheng county, Guangxi, built household water tanks of all sizes and constructed diversion canals around the stone mountains leading rain water to water tanks in their homes.

Due to the generally poor economic conditions of the families, the capacity of the household water tanks was very limited. If it did not rain for 10 days, especially in the late autumn dry season, villagers would have to look for water in other places.

Nowadays, a large collective water tank has been re-built in Longlutun residential area of Tongle village.

Lan Maogen uses tap water at his home. (Photo/Peng Yuanhe)

"This water tank was previously built when I was only 16 years old," said Lan Maogen, a 58-year-old villager in Longlutun and one of the witnesses to the construction of the collective water tank.

"The water tank was located on a small hill," said Lan, adding that in 1976, in order to reserve more water, local villagers spent over two years building a water tank for collective use.

In November 1978, the collective water tank was completed. It was in the shape of a cylinder, with a diameter of 41 meters, a depth of 8 meters and a water capacity of more than 10,000 cubic meters.

After the big water tank was put into use, the whole village found it much easier to obtain drinking water. However, as time goes by, defects gradually emerge, leading to insufficient water supply and poor water quality.

The collective water tank at Longlutun residential area. (Photo/Peng Yuanhe)

Shi Jie was appointed as the first secretary of Tongle village in March 2018 and took on the task of poverty alleviation. After consulting the public for their opinions, Shi learned that his first job would have to be improving the water tanks.

With support from all parties, the number of collective water tanks in Tongle village has increased from 12 to 17. "Almost every residential area has a collective water tank, which is covered and equipped with scientific and sanitary filtering and antivirus equipment,” Shi Jie said.

The original collective water tanks and household water tanks were virtually uncovered, leading to hidden sanitation and security dangers.

Inside the collective water tank at Longlutun residential area. (Photo/Peng Yuanhe)

"Things like leaves and weeds could easily fall into the water tanks and affect water quality. When there was a lot of rain water, children would sometimes swim in the water tanks," Shi added.

To address this problem, 12 previously built collective water tanks and 98 household water tanks in Tongle village were equipped with safety covers and filtration and disinfection equipment in 2019, which greatly improved the safety of villagers' drinking water.

By the end of 2019, all villages and farmer households in Xincheng county had access to safe drinking water.