The government is rolling out a raft of water-saving policies and anti-drought measures to keep water supplies stable for households and businesses across Taiwan, Premier Jiang Yi-huah said at a Cabinet meeting today.
Following a report from the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) on the current water shortage situation, the premier said rainfall has been meager since February, and the large quantities of water consumed for spring farming season have quickly lowered reservoir levels around the nation. To manage the water shortage, a drought response task force was established by the MOEA's Water Resources Agency (WRA) on February 25 and was promoted to ministerial level on March 22.
Spring showers arrived a month later than usual this year, Jiang noted. Though the precipitation since late March has alleviated some of that deficiency, water levels at Shihmen and Zengwen reservoirs of northern and southern Taiwan are still worrisome.
Weather patterns have become increasingly abnormal under the influence of global warming, Jiang noted. With Taiwan experiencing dramatic droughts and floods, the ability to maintain a stable water supply is now a top concern. Besides asking citizens to develop water-saving habits, the premier has instructed government agencies to map out response measures, prepare for all contingencies, and improve inter-agency coordination to reduce water scarcity risks.
Even though the WRA has established standard operating procedures for water conservation and redistribution in the event of shortage, it must continue refining and adjusting those procedures to reassure the public and avert unnecessary panic. This is a key responsibility of the WRA, Jiang said.
The premier also directed the WRA to take advantage of the dry spell to dredge excess mud and sediment from rivers and weirs. The rivers in southern Taiwan, in particular, are fraught with thick deposits of sedimentation left behind by the 2009 Typhoon Morakot. Since that time the WRA has actively conducted dredging projects, not only helping to stabilize water supplies but preventing future flooding disasters as well.
The premier said the Taiwan Water Corp. (TWC) has formulated a project to reduce the leakage rate in Taiwan's water distribution system from approximately 20 or 21 percent to 15 percent by 2020. While the goal is still not ideal compared with those of advance nations, it is a commendable effort considering TWC's budget constraints, and the premier hopes the MOEA will take this into account when approving funding for the project. With the MOEA's financial support, the premier hopes the TWC can expand the project and aim for a lower leakage rate.