Water rationing might be imposed in northern and southern regions of the country early next month if there is not enough rain in the coming weeks to break a dry spell that has affected Taiwan since the beginning of the year, Water Resources Agency (WRA) Deputy Director Wu Yueh-si (吳約西) said on Thursday.
The agency plans to make an announcement on water rationing on Aug. 10 if the water shortage continues, Wu said following a drought meeting earlier in the day with officials from more than 30 government agencies, including the Central Weather Bureau, the Council of Agriculture and Taiwan Water Co.
Wu said the amount of rainfall this year as of Wednesday was 57 percent of the average amount over the past few years. Rainfall in the water catchment area of the Shihmen Reservoir in Taoyuan County reached only about 13 percent of the past average, he said.
“Should there be insufficient rain in the coming weeks, the WRA will call a meeting on Aug. 10 and announce water rationing measures for Taipei City and for other regions of southern Taiwan,” he said.
The measures would include a halt to water supplies for irrigation from the Shihmen Reservoir, while controls on total water volume dispensed would be imposed on the Tsengwen and Wushantou reservoirs in Tainan County, he said.
However, the threat of a water shortage in Nangan Township (南竿) on Matsu has been eased following rain brought by several typhoons that skirted the island recently.
Water rationing measures that had already been imposed on Matsu were lifted by the WRA on July 18.
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