To ensure public safety during the ongoing drought, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday urged residents to look for signs of potentially dangerous tap water.
Several pollution cases reported in Taipei City and Taipei County reflect the vulnerability of the water-supply network during the drought, EPA officials said.
"People should contact water suppliers to demand a comprehensive examination of the quality of turbid, smelly or colored tap water," said Tung Teh-po (
Tung said that people should avoid using such tap water for washing hands, washing fruit, brushing their teeth and rinsing their mouths.
While water rationing is in effect, EPA officials said, it is inappropriate to drink tap water without boiling it for at least five minutes.
EPA officials added that it is illegal and dangerous to pump tap water directly from aqueducts, adding that such water may contain pollutants.
Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪), executive-general of the Cabinet's drought disaster-relief center, said yesterday that a more comprehensive examination of water quality should be carried out.
"We will also strengthen the emergency notification system," Kuo said yesterday after facing criticism for the government's slow response to water-pollution cases in Taipei.
Administrative negligence will be investigated after the crisis is under control, Kuo said.
In addition, EPA officials reminded residents of risks of consuming potentially contaminated groundwater.
Officials said that people should avoid drinking groundwater until after it has been tested and approved by certified organizations. (A list of such organizations is available at http://www.niea.gov.tw)
EPA officials also advised people to cover collected water to keep it clean during the drought and advised against storing water for several days.
Water rationing has also affected upcoming environmental policy changes.
EPA head Hau Lung-bin (
Originally, publicly operated grocery stores, restaurants at government buildings, public and private educational establishments and military organizations were to be prohibited from offering free plastic bags and eating utensils from July 1.
"When limits for using disposable utensils will be carried out depends on the drought situation," Hau said, adding that banning the use of free plastic bags will still begin on July 1.
Once water rationing is lifted, Hau said, the ban on using disposable utensils at publicly operated facilities would be imposed immediately.
The second phase of the policy -- banning free plastic bags and disposable utensils at all stores but street vendors -- will be implemented on Jan. 1, as per the EPA's original plan.
More than half of the bamboo vipers captured in Tainan in the past few years were found in the city’s Sinhua District (新化), while other districts had smaller catches or none at all. Every year, Tainan captures about 6,000 snakes which have made their way into people’s homes. Of the six major venomous snakes in Taiwan, the cobra, the many-banded krait, the brown-spotted pit viper and the bamboo viper are the most frequently captured. The high concentration of bamboo vipers captured in Sinhua District is puzzling. Tainan Agriculture Bureau Forestry and Nature Conservation Division head Chu Chien-ming (朱健明) earlier this week said that the
NAMING SPAT: The foreign ministry called on Denmark to propose an acceptable solution to the erroneous nationality used for Taiwanese on residence permits Taiwan has revoked some privileges for Danish diplomatic staff over a Danish permit that lists “Taiwan” as “China,” Eric Huang (黃鈞耀), head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of European Affairs, told a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Reporters asked Huang whether the Danish government had responded to the ministry’s request that it correct the nationality on Danish residence permits of Taiwanese, which has been listed as “China” since 2024. Taiwan’s representative office in Denmark continues to communicate with the Danish government, and the ministry has revoked some privileges previously granted to Danish representatives in Taiwan and would continue to review
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
The first bluefin tuna of the season, brought to shore in Pingtung County and weighing 190kg, was yesterday auctioned for NT$10,600 (US$333.5) per kilogram, setting a record high for the local market. The auction was held at the fish market in Donggang Fishing Harbor, where the Siaoliouciou Island-registered fishing vessel Fu Yu Ching No. 2 delivered the “Pingtung First Tuna” it had caught for bidding. Bidding was intense, and the tuna was ultimately jointly purchased by a local restaurant and a local company for NT$10,600 per kilogram — NT$300 ,more than last year — for a total of NT$2.014 million. The 67-year-old skipper
RSS