The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) yesterday made four recommendations to the public about drinking water, warning against unknown mountain spring water and urging people to wash their water towers regularly, as well as maintain the hygiene of water dispensers and water purifier systems.
More than half of the mountain spring water samples tested were found to contain high levels of bacteria, the administration said, adding that more than 70 percent of cases of poor tap water quality was caused by water towers not being washed regularly.
Department of Environmental Sanitation and Toxic Substances director-general Yuan Shao-ying (袁紹英) said some people may have the wrong idea that mountain spring water is cleaner, but as much as 62 percent tested positive for coliform bacteria.
Moreover, he said many people think drinking bottled water is safer and healthier than drinking tap water, but tap water is actually a legal source for bottled water, and recent statistics showed that about 43 percent of bottled water in Taiwan comes from tap water.
The administration said a person probably spends between NT$60 and NT$70 a day if they buy 2 liters of bottled water daily — the daily recommended adult intake — which is not only costly, but also creates plastic waste.
It suggested people carry reusable water containers filled with tap water or boiled water, and encouraged people to wash and maintain their water towers, water dispensers and water purifier systems every six months to prevent bacterial growth.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
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