If a prolonged drought continues, the government might allow science parks to drill wells to meet water demand, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) said yesterday.
The statement came in response to Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花), who on Saturday said that the government is exploring options to help technology firms affected by the water supply shortage.
During a meeting of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee, lawmakers across party lines asked Minister of Science and Technology Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠), whose agency oversees the nation’s science parks, to clarify whether he thinks that drilling wells at the parks is feasible.
Photo courtesy of the Hsinchu Science Park
Hsinchu Science Park director general Wayne Wang (王永壯) said that the park was not allowed to drill wells, but that there are 17 wells in its proximity, mainly along the Toucian River (頭前溪), which could supply up to 35,000 tonnes of water every day.
Firms at the park consume nearly 150,000 tonnes of water daily, Wu said.
The firms should try to save more water, but drilling wells might be considered if the water supply shrinks further, Wu said, adding that drilling wells to supply water to the park falls under the jurisdiction of the economic ministry.
The wells would have to be drilled outside the park, as construction might affect precision manufacturing firms, Wu said, adding that this would also require an environmental impact assessment.
Supplying the park with recycled water and desalinated seawater would also be considered, he said.
Asked to forecast how long the shortage might affect the nation, National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction Director Hongey Chen (陳宏宇) said that the drought might continue.
Although rain is forecast for late this month, most of it would fall in northern Taiwan and not ease the situation in the south, Chen said.
As of yesterday, the park’s main water sources, Baoshan Reservoir (寶山水庫) and Baoshan Second Reservoir (寶二水庫) in Hsinchu County, were at 25.2 percent and 11 percent of capacity respectively.
The science ministry said it would within 10 days submit a report on measures to mitigate the drought and supply water to science parks.
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