Well, that's a relief!

By the end of 2018, Nanling collected 350,000 yuan ($49,700) of special funds from the county and by May this year, after all the necessary procedures were completed, the village cadres and villagers carried the equipment to survey the site by hand, and the well drilling began.

By the beginning of July, the well had reached more than 100 meters, and the team decided to test for water. It produced water for only a few minutes. Then, in mid-August, when the well hit more than 300 meters, the team decided to try again. And, again, the water production lasted only 10 minutes. Facing failure, the drilling team stopped working, despondently wondering if they should continue to dig or just give up. However, the villagers were unbowed; no water at 300 meters, then dig to 350 meters. Still no water? Then dig to 400 meters, even 500!

By mid-October, the well hit 403 meters. Water burst forth, with the pipe pumping out its life-giving bounty with no interruption for 170 hours. The villagers rejoiced; as the water flowed from the depths below, it streamed, with joy, from their eyes as well.