Water Resources Agency officials are to meet on Friday to decide whether to lift first-stage water rationing in northern Taiwan following heavy rainfall, the agency said yesterday.
A weather front and strengthening northeasterly winds on Friday brought heavy rains to the north, which spread to the central region on Saturday. It is not expected to ease until tomorrow, the Central Weather Bureau said.
Precipitation over the past few days has helped raise the water levels of several reservoirs, agency Deputy Director-General Wang Yi-feng (王藝峰) said, adding that rationing in the north might no longer be necessary.
First-stage water rationing had been implemented in Taoyuan, Hsinchu and New Taipei City’s Linkou (林口), Banciao (板橋) and Sinjhuang (新莊) districts, as well as in Kaohsiung, Chiayi County and Tainan.
Under first-stage rationing, water pressure is reduced between 11pm and 6am every day, the agency said.
Agency data showed that from Tuesday to 7am yesterday, rainfall was primarily concentrated in northern and central Taiwan, with Shihmen Reservoir (石門水庫) in Taoyuan accumulating 10.4cm.
The rainfall generated about 23 million cubic meters of water for the drought-stricken reservoir — enough for an additional 12 days — bringing the water level up to nearly 55 percent of capacity, the data showed.
There was far less precipitation in the south, leaving reservoirs with low reserves.
Lantan (蘭潭) and Renyitan (仁義潭) reservoirs in Chiayi County each collected about 250,000m3 of water, about a two-day supply.
Two of the most important reservoirs in the south — Wushantou (烏山頭) and Zengwun (曾文) reservoirs in Tainan — remained at less than 20 percent of capacity despite each collecting 2.5 million cubic meters of water, also about a two-day supply.
Nanhua Reservoir (南化水庫), also in Tainan, collected about 500,000m3 of water — 1.2 days’ supply.
Wang said the rainfall has helped to quench the thirst for water in central Taiwan, but did little to help ease the shortage in the south.
Although a new weather front due to arrive on Wednesday could bring more rainfall, Wang said the key to ending persistent water worries will be how much rain is brought by the plum rains and wet season next month through June.
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