It is one of the hottest days in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province's capital city. The temperature reaches 41 C at 2 pm. Jin Bingwu, an auxiliary traffic police officer in downtown Hangzhou has just finished his shift and walks into a nearby branch of the Agricultural Bank of China.

Tourists slake their thirst with free drinking water near Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. The local government provided the water to workers and tourists as high temperatures continued into August. [Provided to China Daily]

The security guard at the bank welcomes him and fills his empty bottle with water. In a rest area that the bank reserves especially for workers like him, Jin sits on the sofa, enjoys the cool breeze of the air conditioner and gulps down the water.

The bank is one of 197 companies in Hangzhou participating in the "Glass of Water" program, offering free drinking water to tens of thousands of workers who are continuing to work under the burning sun.

The program, organized and promoted by the Voice of Zhejiang, a radio station of the Zhejiang Radio and TV Group, started on July 9 to ask shops, supermarkets, shopping malls, banks, post offices and other businesses to participate.

Zhang Qin, chief director of the radio station, said the program aims to increase awareness for workers with jobs out in the heat.

Big impact

"Sanitation workers, traffic police officers, construction workers and delivery men are indispensable in our city, but we don't pay enough attention to their working conditions. Offering a glass of water is a small deed that anyone can do, and if everyone pitches in, it can bring a big impact," he said.

Since July, Hangzhou has been experiencing extremely hot weather, with the highest temperature reaching a record of 41.6 C on Friday. Street surface temperatures can be as high as 72 C to 76 C, posing great challenges to people who work outdoors.

Zhang Lifang, who has been working in the city for 13 years as a sanitation worker, said that the program has brought her comfort.

"It is really thoughtful. A glass of water is a life-saver after working several hours on the street," she said.

She said she and her colleagues used to bring bottles of water to work, but now they only have to bring an empty cup.

"In the past, I would not dare to walk into the banks to ask for water or take a rest, but now they invite me in," she said.

Yu Bojun, vice-governor of Agricultural Bank of China's Hangzhou West Lake branch, said his branch has turned the doorman's lodge into a resting room for the program.

A water dispenser with paper cups, a TV set, a bed and heatstroke preventive medicine are provided in the lodge.

As the first to respond to the Voice of Zhejiang's program, the Agricultural Bank of China opened all of its 205 branches to welcome outdoor workers.

"It doesn't cost us much to operate, but the outcome is huge," said Yu.

In addition to the bank, post offices, governmental departments, real estate agencies, supermarkets, shopping malls, bottled water companies and manufacturers have taken part in this program.

Zhejiang Tianhai Jingfang Packing Co, a producer of plastic glasses used in airlines, provided 100,000 plastic glasses to the cause.

"I have always wanted to offer my expertise to doing something good for society. As a glass producer, this is the least I can do," said Fang Quan, general manager of the company.

The company, a supplier for the 2010 Shanghai Expo world's fair, has orders from more than 6,000 clients waiting, but Fang wanted to produce the glasses for the program first.

"Our profits are of course an important means to measure the value of our company, but social responsibility cannot be neglected. Although there will be some losses, it is a worthy cause," he said.

Apart from benefiting workers with jobs in the scorching heat, the city is also expanding the program to tourists.

Starting on July 29, the Hangzhou Tourism Commission has been offering free drinking water in 100 tourist information centers around the city's West Lake scenic area. By Friday, a total of 487 19-liter bottles of water had been served to more than 18,513 tourists and outdoor workers, according to the commission.

Qi Liang, a tourist from Dalian, Liaoning province, said he is surprised to see the service offered by the commission.

"I know the West Lake is free for tourists and Hangzhou's public bicycles are free, but I never thought drinking water would also be free. Although the weather is hot, I think I will visit Hangzhou again for the good service," he said.

In a tourist information center near Lingyin Temple, Wang Fang, a guide at the center, said the water is warmly welcomed by tourists.

"I barely get a break during the day, but I am happy that small services like this benefit our city's image," she said.

yanyiqi@chinadaily.com.cn