Objectives To analyze the sanitary condition of drinking water in Mianyang in 2016 and provide reference data to make scientific decision for the administration of public drinking water safety.

Methods Monitoring and investigating the basic states of 1 383 drinking water samples and examinating water quality.Drinking water samples were examined by the Standard Examination Method for Drinking Water (GB/T 5750-2006). The results were evaluated according to the Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water (GB 5749-2006).

Results The equipment of disinfection facilities in the centralized water systems were was good. The application of disinfection facilities should be further improved. The main method for water disinfection was using chlorine dioxide. The qualification rates of 215 urban drinking water samples and 1 168 rural drinking water samples were 92.09% and 61.09% respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The qualification rates of water samples for large and small projects in the rural centralized water supply projects were 74.29% and 58.56% respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The qualification rates of heat resistant coliform and chlorine dioxide were lower in rural drinking water.

Conclusions The qualification rate of drinking water was high in city but relatively low in rural areas of Mianyang. It is necessary to strengthen the supervision of small water supplies in rural areas to ensure the implementation of sanitary disinfection system in rural centralized water supplies and pay more attention to monitoring the index for microorganism and disinfection.