Following a Thursday Cabinet meeting presentation by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) on the successes and future outlook of efforts to develop sustainable water resources, Premier Su Tseng-chang affirmed that a stable water supply is a national priority. He also committed the government to building an encompassing environment for the sustainable and secure provision of water.
Over the past three years, the government of President Tsai Ing-wen has completed and put into operation a series of water resource projects, Premier Su said. These include the second phase of a Banqiao and Xinzhuang water supply project that now allows New Taipei City residents to join Taipei City households in enjoying high-quality water from the Feitsui Reservoir. A seawater desalinization plant in the Penghu Islands and a water recycling project for Kaohsiung City's Fengshan River have also been finished.
This year has seen the start of new water infrastructure construction, as well, including a new pipeline to draw cleaner water from the Feitsui Reservoir during periods of high turbidity in the Nanshi River, an auxiliary pipeline linking Taoyuan's Shihmen Reservoir with the Hsinchu area, and an artificial lake supplied by the Wu River in central Taiwan's Niaozuitan. The projects are all aimed at ensuring quality water for residents and sufficient supplies for industry.
The MOEA highlighted stronger water resource management and improved conservation efforts to complement new water infrastructure. These initiatives helped ensure the normal supply of water for agriculture, industry and consumers in spite of lower-than-expected rainfall during the previous three dry seasons. The future will see the application of smart technologies to boost utilization of water resources and facilitate more efficient management, which will advance the sustainable use and stable supply of water throughout Taiwan.