MOEA set to begin water restrictions

The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced yesterday that it will launch the first stage of water restriction measures in northern counties tomorrow by reducing water pressure between 10pm and 6am.

It is hoped the measures will leave residents and the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park largely unaffected.

Following the ministry's first meeting on handling the impending water shortage, Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Yin Chi-ming (尹啟銘) said stricter water-conservation measures had to be carried out.

"Maintaining reduced water pressure during the night could lead to less water consumption, saving 3 to 5 percent of normal water consumption," Yin said.

According to Yin, affected areas include Taipei City, Taipei County, Taoyuan County, Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County and Penghu County.

The ministry's drought-relief center will then monitor rainfall records and decide ten days later whether to implement further water restrictions.

A second phase of measures would see the suspension of water supplies to heavy users, artificial fountains and swimming pools. In addition, plant watering and washing buildings and streets would be banned.

The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday that February's rainfall in Taipei was about one-eighth of normal.

Yeh Tien-chiang (葉天降), director of the CWB's weather forecasting center, also reminded residents to adopt water-conservation measures after bureau forecasts predicted lower-than-average rainfall over the next three months.

Taipei City Government yesterday began plans to educate the public on water conservation in a bid to lower the impact of the impending drought, which observers say could be worse than last year's shortages.

"We have to be cautious but at the same time refrain from panicking," Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday.

At Feitsui Reservoir, the rainfall in February was only half of that last year.

Ma plans to visit the CWB today to obtain the latest information on rainfall estimates.

Taipei's drought-relief center will hold its first meeting on Saturday.

Kuo Ray-hwa (郭瑞華), the director of the Taipei Water Department, said that 28 percent of household water is used for flushing toilets.

"The city can lower water consumption by 120,000 to 150,000 tonnes each day if residents use bath water and water used for cleaning clothes to flush their toilets," Kuo said.

Last year, during the 66-day period of water rationing, Taipei residents used 700,000 tonnes of water less each day on average.

Kuo said that Taipei City would cooperate with the economic affairs ministry, which coordinates water-restriction measures at the national level.

In southern Taiwan, water supply to residents in Tainan and Kaohsiung should remain normal until the end of May, according to officials at the Taiwan Water Supply Corporation.