Insufficient rainfall in the south has led to near-record-low water levels at major reservoirs which can sustain residential areas for only six weeks, the Water Resources Agency warned yesterday.
According to Yang Feng-jung (楊豐榮), head of the agency's Southern Water Resources Bureau, agricultural areas needing water from the Tsengwen and Wushantou reservoirs for irrigation could be left fallow in July.
"The water levels are the lowest in three decades. We do need more rainfall in the south," Yang said.
He urged residents not to squander the limited water remaining because the levels at the two reservoirs were now at less than 10m.
Worse, a major pipeline that transports 300,000 tonnes of untreated water daily from Nanhua Reservoir in Tainan County to Kaohsiung County burst on Tuesday.
Engineers said it might take a week to overhaul the 58km-long pipeline, which has been in use for only eight months. They said it was not clear what caused the break.
Yang said that pumping stations in Kaohsiung County would transport more water from Kaoping River to ensure demand for water in the Kaohsiung metropolitan area continued to be met.
According to the Chianan (Chiayi-Tainan) Irrigation Association, only 30 million tonnes of water remained for irrigation. In January, paddy fields were already beginning to be left fallow because of the shortage.
Officials predict that the area of agricultural land to be left fallow in July will be larger than ever.
Meanwhile, in the north, afternoon thunderstorms yesterday brought welcome rain to a thirsty ground.
Before the storm, the temperature in Taipei climbed to 35oC. Sungshan Domestic Airport was closed for hours due to the sudden downpour and lightning.
Forecasters at the Central Weather Bureau yesterday said that temperatures would remain high but that there would continue to be a fairly good chance of showers.
Forecasters also reminded the public of the need to wear sunblock lotion and of the need to avoid sunstroke.
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