With the public focusing on plummeting GDP figures and rising unemployment, little attention has been paid to another pressing problem — the plunging levels of the nation’s water reserves.
This winter has been much drier than usual, with many regions receiving less than half their normal rainfall, while other regions have received none at all. Many reservoirs are approaching critical levels. The main store of water for much of the heavily populated north, Taoyuan County’s Shihmen Reservoir (石門水庫), has seen less than a fifth of its average rainfall in its catchment area so far this year and is already below half capacity. Officials have reduced the amount of water released daily and are considering enforcing stricter rationing measures should the rain continue to hold off.
Taiwan may be blessed with plentiful rainfall (the annual average is around 2,500mm), but its geography makes storage of large amounts of water difficult. As severe climate change becomes a reality and begins to disrupt traditional weather patterns, who’s to say that in a few years or decades the nation’s abundance of water won’t fade and that serious droughts, such as the one in 2003, won’t become more common?
Solving such a problem in Taiwan — with its water intensive industries and farming — is a huge challenge, but the government needs to formulate a comprehensive management strategy for reducing water usage if it is to avoid a scenario that sees businesses and the public competing for precious water resources.
Last week’s decision to open a drought center in response to the situation shows that the government is paying attention, but this short-term measure needs to be complemented by other long-term plans to meet the challenges posed by likely dry spells.
A triple-pronged approach that would help industry, farming and households reduce demand and use water more efficiently is key.
Farmers and irrigation associations should be encouraged to invest in water-efficient irrigation technology where appropriate, while businesses can be given incentives to reduce the amount of water used in water-intensive processes and to increase recycling. Compulsory fitting of water-saving devices and appliances in new homes and monetary rewards that encourage existing households to follow suit are other useful measures.
Another problem that needs tackling is waste — people often turn on the tap with no second thought as to where the water is coming from.
This is a problem because, for far too long, the government has subsidized the price of water to a ridiculous degree. Even if it is not keen on private sector involvement in the water industry, the government should at least increase the price to promote frugality.
In drier countries such as Australia, wasting water is frowned upon and breaking water restrictions can result in fines. This may not be necessary here at this time, but public attitudes need to change and this can be achieved through education.
Although the upcoming rainy season will probably ease the present shortage, the government should treat the problem as a warning of things to come and not be complacent.
Because, while this water shortage may not be as pressing as the economic meltdown, a failure to act decisively may one day see the government facing more economic problems — problems that are quite avoidable.
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