For some, water aid is in the works

As Taipei residents struggle with recent drought-induced water restrictions, Taiwanese residents in what are known as water conservation districts have long had to live with poor access to fresh supplies. For those people, help may soon be on the way.

To make living in these areas more appealing, water resources officials yesterday said that laws pertaining to compensation to residents living in water conservation districts could soon include various advantages, including tax deductions, insurance benefits and utility subsidies and others.

Hundreds of residents living in water conservation districts in Miaoli County (苗栗) petitioned the legislature yesterday, saying that their lives are negatively effected by prohibitions against development in communities surrounding major reservoirs, such as the Yunghoshan Reservoir (永和山), the Mingte (明德) Dam and Liyutan Reservoir (鯉魚潭).

Assisted by KMT lawmakers Her Jyh-huei (何智輝), Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻), Chiu Ching-chun (邱鏡淳), Chu Fong-chi (朱鳳芝), and the PFP's Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋), residents asked water resources officials to draft regulations to compensate them for their sacrifices.

Residents also demanded a lifting of restriction against new construction in their communities.

Residents pointed out the irony that families near the Mingte Dam (明德水庫) have to rely on streamwater, because their communities are not included in the Taiwan Water Supply Co's network.

In addition, Miaoli residents said they were against a planned Tienhuahu Reservoir (天花湖水庫) in Miaoli because they would be asked to make sacrifices without being compensated for them.

Chen Shen-hsien (陳伸賢), deputy director of the Water Resources Agency (WRA), yesterday told residents at the legislature that the agency was drafting a law designed with them and others living in water conservation districts in mind.

"According to the draft, residents would be entitled to various advantages, such as tax deductions, insurance and utility subsidies, job training, employment assistance and other benefits," Chen said.

Offering effected residents appropriate compensation conforms to the principles of justice and fairness, Chen said.

The draft would be submitted to the Cabinet in the middle of June and handed to the legislature by the end of June, Chen said,

Chen's comments were welcomed by opposition lawmakers.

The Water Conservancy Law limits human activity in water conservation districts and defines their boundaries. Other laws defining the boundaries of similar kinds of water conservation districts, which often overlap with the WRA's water conservation districts, also imposes restrictions on residents.

These laws are the Tap Water Act, the Drinking Water Management Act and the Soil and Water Conservation Law.

Environmental experts warn that preventing water conservation districts from being polluted is extremely important, because most midstream and downstream parts of rivers have been polluted by municipal sewage and industrial wastewater.

The enterprise of managing water resources in Taiwan has resulted in 9,900km2, or 27.5 percent of the total area of Taiwan, being included in water conservation districts.