November 1997

30th November 1997

Wansheng Piping Laid

DORS Drinking Water Supply Project in Wansheng and Guangrong Villages is now approaching completion. During our visit in October we saw the villagers laying the plastic piping into trenches and constructing the large drinking water storage tank above Wansheng Village. In total, about 2,000 people will benefit from this clean water supply.Wansheng Village is interesting, not only for its large Catholic Church but also for the fact that the wood used in the construction of The Forbidden City in Beijing (where the Emperor of Imperial China used to live) came from Wansheng's trees. This is reflected in the name for the administrative area 'Huangmu' - which literally means 'Emperor's Wood'.

Funding for Chenhe Village Drinking and Irrigation Water Supply Project

Project Work is now able to begin in Chenhe number 3 hamlet constructing the water supply, thanks to Misereor of Germany (who fund a number of our projects). At present the village's current water supply is polluted by grazing animals and during the winter months the supply is insufficient. Along similar lines to our other water supply projects in Hanyuan, piping will channel water from two mountain streams down the mountain-side into two storage tanks and from there, into the hamlet. The increase in water will also enable the villagers to grow more fruit trees along their field boundaries and convert more of their land to wheat cultivation. The materials for the construction of the water tanks have been bought and the villagers will begin work on the project once their busy winter wheat planting is finished.

Chenhe Irrigation Channel Repair

Running through 13 village hamlets in Xixi Administrative Village is an irrigation channel named after Chenhe Village. The water from this channel irrigates 47 hectares of land - used for growing rice, winter wheat, fruit trees and other economic crops. Due to heavy snows, rains and even an earthquake, soils around the channel have slid into it and several sections leak. These leaks have led to rock and mud slides which jeopardise the villagers' crops and also a new road which is under construction. DORS have agreed to support the repair of this channel, thanks again to funding from Misereor. Villagers from all of the hamlets using the channel will soon begin to build supporting walls and cement-line the channel to prevent leakages.