Several more areas will face water rationing measures from this Friday as less rain than usual has fallen so far this year, causing water levels to drop at reservoirs in the northern and central parts of the country, the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Water Resources Agency (WRA) said.
Beginning on Friday, first-stage water rationing measures will be implemented in parts of Taoyuan, Miaoli, Taichung and Changhua, as well as Banciao (板橋) and Sinjhuang (新莊) in New Taipei City (新北市), the agency said.
The same measures were implemented in Hsinchu County on March 18.
Water supplies to these areas will be reduced from 11pm to 5am every day, and the rationing is expected to last until the end of May, when the rainy season begins, the agency said.
WRA Deputy Director-General Wu Yueh-hsi (吳約西) said that water usage for average households would not be affected, but those living in higher-altitude areas could experience some inconvenience.
The inflow of water to the northern Shihmen Reservoir has dropped significantly this year, the water resource official said.
Last month, only 38mm of rain fell into the reservoir, less than 30 percent of the average of 140mm for that month. The rainfall level as of March 25 was just 41mm, less than 40 percent of the 110mm March average, Wu said.
To handle the water shortage, the agency will convene its first drought relief meeting for the year next week.
The agency said that if water levels continue to drop, it would consider allocating agricultural irrigation water for household and industrial use.
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