ABSTRACT
Objective To assess and quantitatively analyze the comprehensive benefits of improvement of drinking water quality in Hetian county of Xinjiang Methods The incidences of water borne infectious diseases(dysentery,hepatitis,typhoid and cholera) during 1992~1998 and the effects of health education were reviewed The decreases of the costs for drinking water transportation and the saving of medical expenses were analyzed quantitatively Results 95% of the total population were benefited from the improvement of drinking water quality The incidence rates of water borne infectious diseases except dysentery revealed a decreasing trend during 1992~1998 in Hetian county The benefited population presented higher levels of sanitary knowledge and good sanitary habits By the end of 2000,the accumulative investment for water improvement reached up to 45 50 million yuan,the saving of the costs for drinking water transportation and medical expenses was from 18 64 million yuan to 42 46 million yuan and 6 60 million yuan respectively,the benefit of building water plants and the development of peasant family economy was 2 91 million yuan and 35 56 million yuan respectively The totoal direct economic benefit reached from 67 31 million yuan to 87 52 million yuan Conclusion The project of improvement of drinking water quality revealed significant social and economic benefit,which had obviously exceeded the total investment