Amid a nationwide drought, the Ministry of Economic Affairs last week announced stricter water rationing for Taichung, and Hsinchu and Miaoli counties, as well as for non-industrial water users, such as spas, swimming pools and car washes.
Yesterday, worshipers prayed for rain at the Dajia Jenn Lann Temple in Taichung, placing their faith in the sea goddess Matsu to bring timely rain.
Whether the ritual will work remains unknown, and water levels at several reservoirs in central and southern Taiwan — including Baoshan Second Reservoir (寶二水庫) in Hsinchu; Yongheshan Reservoir (永和山水庫), Mingde Reservoir (明德水庫) and Liyutan Reservoir (鯉魚潭水庫) in Miaoli; Deji Reservoir (德基水庫) in Taichung; Wushe Reservoir (霧社水庫) in Nantou County; and Zengwen Reservoir (曾文水庫) in Chiayi — are falling fast after months of drought, with some even dipping to as low as 13 percent.
Ironically, Taiwan is an island nation with frequent rains amounting to an average rainfall of 2,500mm per year, but the precipitation is unevenly distributed across the nation. Taiwan’s rivers are mostly short and steep, channeling most of the rainfall quickly into the sea. In addition, many reservoirs have accumulated too much silt and are losing their capacity.
Taiwan has experienced 14 droughts in the past 50 years, and the current drought could be one of the severest, according to National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction data.
Last year was the driest in 52 years in Taiwan, with no typhoons directly hitting the nation.
Not just the agricultural sector is affected by the drought, with irrigation having been suspended in Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli, but the industrial sector is also starting to feel the pain.
The ministry has been trucking water to the high-tech companies in the Hsinchu Science Park, as manufacturing equipment requires a constant supply of cooling water and a 26km water pipeline from neighboring Taoyuan failed to meet the demand.
It is unknown whether the upcoming plum rain and typhoon seasons would bring sufficient rainfall, and the government expects that the dry spell could continue until May.
To bolster water supply, the authorities have mobilized emergency water resources, such as an emergency desalination plant in Hsinchu and water wells around the nation. They have also implemented water allocation measures for different regions, particularly for science parks, where many important tech firms, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, are located.
The government could also continue to improve detention pond water management, remove sediment from reservoirs, reduce tap water pipe leakage, construct more water pipelines and transport water by trucks.
However, a more effective way is to encourage people to conserve water. The government should provide discounts to people who use less water, reward those who recycle wastewater and offer incentives for installing water conservation equipment and rainwater harvesting systems.
It could also consider setting the price of water at levels that would encourage people to conserve water.
As climate change affects the arrival of rainy and dry seasons, which exacerbates the cycle of droughts and floods, and Taiwan is increasingly vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather, it would take more than just regulating the supply and allocation of water resources, and promoting water conservation to deal with water shortages.
In the long term, the government should review national land usage and development plans, move away from water-intensive industries and seek a more efficient supply of water.
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