Abstract: Objective To describe the current status of drinking water quality among centralized water supply units in China, so as to provide evidence for improvement of drinking water condition in China. Methods Data were extracted through the National Health Inspection Information System from 2013 to 2016, China Health Statistics Yearbook and China Statistics Yearbook. Descriptive statistics were conducted to analyze the distributions of unqualified centralized water supply units. χ² test were performed to determine the statistically significant difference of the unqualified rate. Results During 2013-2016, the annual unqualified rate of centralized water supply units were 1.84%, 2.73%, 2.56% and 2.74% in China, respectively. Unqualified rates for each category of centralized water units showed statistically significant difference (all P<0.001)in 2016. Unqualified rate of public water supply in rural areas (3.85%) was higher compared to urban (1.74%) and self-built facilities (1.33%). Unqualified rate in small and medium-sized (2.40%) water supply units was higher than that in large-sized (0.94%) ones. Areas with high average temperature and annual precipitation had high unqualified rates of centralized water supply units. The unqualified rate was higher in summer (2.06%) and autumn (2.60%). Western regions (4.80%) and southern areas (4.01%) had higher unqualified rate. Conclusion Unqualified rates of centralized water supply units depended largely on seasons and areas. Most unqualified units were small and medium-sized water supply units and located in rural areas.