According to Farmers Daily (www.farmer.com.cn) on April 9, 2010, more than 300 million people in rural areas do not have any clean drinking water. Over 60% of the substandard drinking water is the result of non-natural factors. The cancer mortality rate, which is closely related to environmental pollution, increases year by year in the rural population.
The causes of pollution in rural areas are 1) few waste and water treatment facilities; 2) chemical fertilizers and pesticides everywhere; 3) high pollution and high energy consumption industrial enterprises entering the rural areas.
Source: Farmers Daily, April 9, 2010
http://www.farmer.com.cn/gd/snwp/201004/t20100409_536442.htm