US Xylem, a global leading water technology supplier, will inject $500,000 into 16 primary schools in China's western regions this year to ensure clean water.

The project is part of the Xylem Watermark plan which was initiated in Stockholm in 2008.

The plan seeks to improve the standard of living for more than 100,000 children and their families in China, India and Latin America, said Dong Ruiping, vice-president and external affairs director of Xylem China Co Ltd.

He was speaking at Aquatech China which opened at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center on Wednesday.