The water shortage that has left Taoyuan County parched for 10 days was partly solved yesterday, when water became available in some affected areas. However, the rancourous political infighting prompted by the water crisis continued.
Yesterday, Taoyuan residents who had suffered an unexpected water supply suspension 10 days ago finally had their tap water restored. However, officials of state-run Taiwan Water Supply Corp said the turbidity of the tap water remains higher than desired.
PHOTO: CHOU MIN-HUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"We strongly urge people to boil the water for several minutes before drinking it," said Hu Nan-tse (胡南澤), a manager at the utility's second district department.
According to the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), the tap water supplied in Taoyuan met national standards according to the samples it tested.
Water Resources Agency Director-General Chen Shen-hsien (
COMPANIES SAFE
"Water supplies for Hsinchu remain abundant, and no water crisis will affect high-tech firms operating in the Hsinchu science park," Chen said.
Chen said that the Paoshan Dam, where 4.5 million tonnes of water is stored, could sustain the science park for up to 45 days.
Before the water crisis in southern Taoyuan County was solved, high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) had been criticized by not only residents but also local governmental officials.
However, Vice President Annette Lu (
"Don't always bash the central government. Don't always ask high-ranking officials to step down," Lu said to Taoyuan County Commissioner Chu Li-lun (
PASSING THE BUCK
Lu stressed that local authorities should not have tried to shift their responsibilities onto the central government.
Yesterday, Chu expressed his dissatisfaction with Lu's denunciation, saying that Taiwan Water officials notified him only of a two-day water supply suspension on Aug. 26, when the Central Weather Bureau lifted land warnings for Typhoon Aere.
Chu said yesterday that he protested because by that time 2 million Taoyuan residents had been left without water supplies for more than a week, and got no serious attention from the central government.
"I declined an invitation from the Presidential Office [on the evening President Chen Shui-bain (
Chu said that he did not bring up the issue of taking responsibility after Friday, the day Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh (何美玥) told Premier Yu Shyi-kun in person about her willingness to step down because of the Cabinet's failure to supply water by the original deadline.
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