Objectives To understand the quality of decentralized water supplies in the countryside of Shishou City and to promote the development of rural waterworks.

Methods A total of 168 water samples from decentralized water supplies in 14 townships of Shishou City, including 40 water samples from ditches/rivers and ponds and 168 water samples from wells were collected. Samples were tested and evaluated according to the Standard Examination Methods for Drinking Water (GB/T 5750-2006) and Standards for Drinking Water Quality (GB 5749-2006) for 23 parameters.

Results Only 37 in 168 samples (22%) were qualified. The indexes chromaticity, turbidity, total number of colony, total coliform bacteria, thermotolerance colibacillus and oxygen consumption were unqualified.

Conclusions The qualified rate of water from rural decentralized water supplies in Shishou City was low. Intensifying the construction of small centralized water supply facilities or extending the existed centralized water supply corporate networks to cover the entire rural areas should be strengthened, in order to improve water quality and the health status of people.