Premier Mao Chi-kuo today visited the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) to hear a briefing on Taiwan's mounting water shortage and the government's response measures.
Following a drier-than-normal second half of 2014, the government is anticipating a possible drought from now through mid-2015, the premier said. He asked ministries and agencies to monitor the situation closely while prudently adjusting water usage so as to minimize the impact of the water shortage.
Although Taiwan receives 2,500 millimeters of rainfall every year, it ranks among the highest in the world for water shortage risk because of the island's steep terrain and lack of water retention facilities. It is therefore imperative to establish a set of water-use alert systems that will not only enable different regions to compensate for each other's water deficiencies but also allow authorities to foresee water supply shortages and adopt reduction measures in advance.
The MOEA's Water Resources Agency (WRA) has already mapped out different scenarios of water shortage and their corresponding conservation measures ranging from mild to severe, the premier said.
To avoid inconveniencing the public, the conservation measures should give water priority to households while adjusting industrial and agricultural water usage based on the nature of the business, the premier said.
As for whether to suspend irrigation or stop farming for next year's first rice crop, Mao directed the MOEA and Council of Agriculture (COA) to study the matter and come up with an assessment as soon as possible. Affected farmers should be notified through public announcements so that they can prepare in advance, and the same with businesses and households. As for areas expecting precipitation, artificial measures should be taken to induce rainfall, Mao instructed.
Encouraging citizens to "conserve water today to quench the thirst of tomorrow," Mao pointed out that the average person in Taiwan uses 268 liters of water per day, but if everyone cuts their water use by just 10 percent daily, the nation could save as much water in a year as there is in the Shihmen Reservoir.
As for big water consumers in industries and businesses, the premier instructed competent agencies to roll out more proactive incentives and effective water-saving measures.
The premier thanked the MOEA, COA, relevant agencies, local governments, and in particular hardworking farmers for their coordination and support of the water-conservation measures, which have made it possible for water supplies to remain normal thus far.
Finally the premier called on government agencies and the general public to continue working together through this drought. "God helps those who help themselves," he said.