To improve drinking water accessibility and safety in rural China, the Chinese government launched the rural drinking water program in the 1980s. As part of the program, tap water infrastructure has been constructed in rural areas to supply tap water to rural residents. This policy intervention...

This study quantifies and explains the persistent effects of in utero exposure to tap water on middle-childhood health. We exploit the gradual adoption of tap water connections across villages under a rural drinking water program in China. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies, we find...

We study the long-term effects of in utero exposure to treated tap water on childhood health in rural China, where boiling water before drinking is common to remove disease-causing microorganisms. We exploit the gradual roll-out of a rural drinking water program that supplies treated tap water...