The Hsinchu Science Park Bureau yesterday urged high-tech firms at the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park (新竹科學園區) to conserve water after water levels fell at two major reservoirs that supply the area.
The water level at the Shihmen Reservoir (石門水庫), which supplies the industrial park’s Lungtan District (龍潭), was at 68.62 percent of capacity, from 93.46 percent in early November last year, as the amount of rainfall has remained low, the bureau said.
The water level at the Second Baoshan Reservoir (寶二水庫), which supplies the entire industrial park, has dropped from 98.84 percent of capacity in early November to 75.93 percent, it said.
The bureau called for water conservation in a bid to stretch the water supply from the two reservoirs.
The park is one of the nation’s most important high-tech production bases, housing many electronics giants, such as contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and flat-panel supplier AU Optronics Corp (AUO, 友達光電).
Most high-tech producers at the park consume large amounts of water, which is the reason water levels at the two reservoirs are watched closely during the dry season before typhoons hit the nation in the summer.
High-tech firms like TSMC and AUO have implemented water recycling measures to reduce their water consumption.
Earlier this week, AUO announced that one of its plants recycles all the water used in the production process, making it the first plant in the nation to achieve zero wastewater discharge.
The water level in other reservoirs around the nation were at more than 70 percent of capacity, according to a working meeting held by the Water Resources Agency late last month.
Last year, Taiwan experienced its most severe drought in a decade, which prompted the park to cut its water supply by 7.5 percent, while areas in northern Taiwan that are fed by the Shihmen Reservoir faced water rationing from April to May.
Due to reduced water supply at that time, many firms in the park purchased water from other sources. The drought eased before their operations were seriously affected.
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