Objective To investigate and analyze the quality of water supplied by self-constructed facilities in rural primary and secondary schools in Shijiazhuang, China, and to provide a reference for the timely identification of the sanitation risks in water supply units to ensure the safety of drinking water for students.

Methods From April to June 2021, 88 rural primary and secondary schools in Shijiazhuang with self-constructed water supply facilities were selected using a stratified random sampling method to investigate the sanitary management of school water supplies. Tap water was collected from the first floor of the building at the farthest end from the water inlet of the school. The tap water samples were analyzed for 32 conventional indicators and ammonia nitrogen in drinking water in accordance with the Standard Examination Method for Drinking Water (GB/T 5750-2006). The results were evaluated according to the Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB 5749-2006).

Results The 88 rural primary and secondary schools in Shijiazhuang surveyed in 2021 with self-constructed water supply facilities were mainly primary and junior high schools (84.09%), with deep wells as the main source of water (79.55%), and boiled water was mainly provided by the schools (65.91%). Secondary water supply was present in 27.27% of the schools. Drinking water was untreated in 45.45% of the schools and was routinely treated in only 18.18% of the schools. Dry toilets were used in 26.14% of the schools. Disinfection facilities were built and normally used in 37.50% of the schools. A total of 26.14% of schools lacked sanitation permits for water-related products and disinfection products. Additionally, 42.05% of schools had no dedicated personnel for water supply management, and in 20.45% of schools, individuals directly involved in water supply management had not obtained valid health certificates. The overall qualified rate of drinking water was 56.82%. The qualified rate of water from deep wells was higher than that of water from shallow wells (65.71% vs. 22.22%, χ²=11.04, P < 0.05). The qualified rate of treated drinking water was higher than that of untreated drinking water (66.67% vs. 45.00%, χ²=4.18, P < 0.05). The qualified rate of drinking water in schools with dry toilets was lower than that of schools without dry toilets (43.48% vs. 61.54%, χ²=6.03, P < 0.05). The indicators with relatively low qualified rates were primarily total coliforms and total hardness, with qualified rates of 67.05% and 75.00%, respectively.

Conclusion In 2021, the overall qualified rate of drinking water was low in primary and secondary schools with self-constructed water supply facilities in the rural areas of Shijiazhuang. Total coliforms and total hardness are the main factors affecting water quality. There are many safety risks in the water supply management in rural primary and secondary schools with self-constructed water supply facilities. Sanitary protection and supervision in water supply management need to be further strengthened by water supply units.