Cows drink water by the Yamzbog Yumco Lake in Nagarze County of Shannan, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, May 29, 2019. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

China's Tibet Autonomous Region has set a goal of ensuring tap water for 590,000 impoverished local farmers and herdsmen.

LHASA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's Tibet Autonomous Region has basically met the target of securing tap water supply to the region's poverty-stricken residents.

The plateau region has set the goal of ensuring tap water for 590,000 impoverished people the region registered in 2013. So far, the water supply problem for 588,870 people had been solved, according to the region's water resources department.

The department said they had launched 24,304 safe drinking water projects to improve the rural water supply, especially during the winter season.

The region suffers constant droughts, drying rivers and freezing temperatures in winter, threatening water supply to many farmers and herdsmen.

The regional government said it has invested 4.27 billion yuan (around 610 million U.S. dollars) to upgrade the rural water supply system since 2016, including the installation of antifreeze taps and heated reservoirs in villages. ■