The Legislative Yuan yesterday approved a special act allowing the government to spend NT$54 billion (US$1.7 billion) over six years dredging three reservoirs in the south.
The act stipulates that the government should spend the budget on resolving the sedimentation problem currently hindering operations at Zengwun Reservoir (曾文水庫), Nanhua Reservoir (南化水庫) and Wushantou Reservoir (烏山頭水庫).
The legislature passed the act to ensure that water supplies from the reservoirs remain normal during the tidal season this year.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲), who participated in the review of the act, said the government should begin dredging work at Zengwun Reservoir immediately because the reservoir provides water for agriculture, factories and households, adding that the government should begin with soil and water conservation work.
Minister of Economics Affairs Shih Yen-shiang (施顏祥) had previously said that operations at the three major dams in southern Taiwan were threatened by a significant increase in silt deposits after Typhoon Morakot hit the country last August.
The Water Resources Agency (WRA) said that 91 million cubic meters of silt had accumulated in Zengwun Reservoir and 36 million cubic meters in Nanhua Reservoir after the typhoon, which together amounts to the total storage capacity of Nanhua Reservoir.
In Wushantou Reservoir, silt deposits take up about 44 percent of capacity, the agency said.
The legislature also passed an additional resolution, urging the central government to give residents living near the dams priority consideration in terms of jobs on related government projects.
In other news, the legislature passed an amendment to the Organic Regulations for Irrigation and Water Conservancy Associations (農田水利會組織通則), banning individuals convicted of bribery or seeking to prevent others from voting or campaigning, from being members of such associations.
Meanwhile, Taiwan Water Corp said water rationing might be imposed in the greater Tainan area by mid-June if the ongoing drought in the region persists.
The company said while water reserves in major reservoirs in the area have continued to decline because of the drought, demand has remained normal at about 840,000 cubic meters per day.
Water reserves in the Nanhua Reservoir have fallen to 24.37 million cubic meters, representing about 25 percent of the reservoir’s maximum capacity, while the Zengwen Reservoir has fallen to around 20 percent of capacity, or 68.31 million cubic meters. Wushantou Reservoir is at 55.83 million cubic meters, which is roughly 50 percent of its full capacity, Taiwater said.
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