Apart from that, using artificial lakes as reservoirs, or using wetlands to improve the quality of used water in order to recycle it, are all good methods, but they still require the use of land resources.
That means that we have to sacrifice something else in order to obtain water, be it the ecology of rivers, energy or land. If we develop water resources, in the end it will always influence the environment and people's wallets.
Now that there is a drought in Taitung, I urge everyone to give some thought to the issue of the future development of Taiwan's water resources.
Chang Yen-ming is a deputy director of the Water Resources Agency.
Translated by Anna Stiggelbout



