Recently someone raised the idea of setting targets for reducing water usage nationwide to resolve the nation's water shortages. I would like to remind these people that, when setting reduction targets, one should consider their effect on industrial use as well as on the environment.
Different sectors are said to be able to endure different levels of water shortages -- industry 15 percent, domestic users 10 percent, agriculture 40 percent. But while the first two sectors can develop water-conservation habits after long-term reductions, a lack of water in agriculture can damage the environment.
Research and evaluation is necessary before any measures are taken. I have a few suggestions for dealing with the perceived inconvenience and public panic caused by water shortages and rationing.
Taiwan receives 81.6 billion tonnes of rain per year, generating 61.4 billion tonnes of runoff and 3.6 billion tonnes in groundwater percolation. Only 12 billion tonnes of surface water is now used, while groundwater is overused at 6.5 billion tonnes (the reasonable usage level should be 3.6 billion tonnes). A total of 48 billion tonnes of water flows into the sea each year. Authorized water rights total 38.8 billion tonnes. Of this, 6.6 billion tons is groundwater and 32 billion tonnes is surface water.
The drought season can be shortened by utilizing existing water acquisition and supply facilities to intercept and store water in underground storage sites or large numbers of agricultural ponds in the rainy season (from May to October) for use in the drought season. Wet-farming fields left fallow since Taiwan's WTO entry can be used to build ponds and store water.
Since the country joined the WTO, the area of farmland left fallow has reached 40,000 hectares this year, and the figure may increase in the coming years. Leaving the land fallow or using it for non-recyclable purposes will damage the ecology as well as the livelihoods of future generations. Why don't we allow those who need water to build ponds and store water, thereby increasing their ability to save water during the rainy season?
Apart from encouraging and supporting the development of water resources, the government can also amend laws so as to allow such developed water resources to be used in different categories at different times and places, or exchanged between them through negotiation.
The demand for water quality and volume can be graded according to the different categories of water usage. For example, water for industrial use can be divided into manufacturing and non-manufacturing use. Water for household use can be divided into potable and non-potable water. Water for agricultural use can be divided into polluted and non-polluted water.
Water for drinking and manufacturing requires high quality and small volume. Using water that is not heavily polluted for agricultural purposes is not harmful. It is therefore necessary for the government to establish a graded water usage system. This can promote users in all categories to recycle water between them and to develop water resources. This, combined with the above-mentioned flexible water resources provided by a negotiation and exchange mechanism, can help resolve the current water shortages and rationing. Of course, pushing these tasks require time and regulations.
Intent on resolving the problem of reduced agricultural water usage affecting the environment, the government plans to set aside 1 billion tonnes of water per year for ecological conservation. This is a conscientious measure that deserves kudos. But research should be done as soon as possible on how to develop and use such resources. My suggestion is to amend the law and to establish a mechanism whereby users in the different categories can negotiate swapping and even trading water.
Businesses whose water usage does not benefit the environment should be regulated by law to develop equivalent amounts of water resources for use in ecological conservation before they can receive water from suppliers. In concrete terms, community developers should find ways to build ponds and store rain water, or to use low-level purified water for watering plants and cleaning. Factories should also lease or buy fallow farmland on which to build ponds and store water for use in environmental conservation.
Water is an essential resource. In addition to determined and well-planned action on the government's part, the entire public must also show concern in order to resolve the problems.
Lee Yuan-chuan is dean of the College of Science and Engineering at I-shou University.
Translated by Francis Huang
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