Editorial

Safeguarding Taiwan’s water future

• Publication Date：02/26/2010
• Source： Taiwan Today

Despite significant rainfall over the Lunar New Year holidays, Taiwan’s water crisis has only been temporarily averted. Water rationing looms continually on the horizon, and stopgap measures such as the suspension of rice irrigation and reduced water pressure at night have to periodically be implemented.

The good news is that the Ma Ying-jeou administration is rising to the challenge with a multipronged effort to conserve water, increase storage capacity and develop new sources of usable water.

Taiwan’s predicament arises from its unique geography, plus global climate changes. Because of the high Central Mountains, most rivers are short and steep, and carry large amounts of silt during rainstorms. The island’s oceanic and subtropical monsoon climate brings a great deal of rain—2.6 times the global average—but most of that water runs off rapidly into the sea, so that the water resources available per person per year are only equivalent to one-sixth of the world average.

Global warming has brought increased heavy precipitation, but more rainless days and fewer days with light rainfall, which soaks into the earth and replenishes the aquifer.

The torrential rains of Typhoon Morakot last August washed huge amounts of sediment into southern reservoirs, severely reducing their storage capacity. Just before that catastrophic storm, water rationing due to drought had begun in parts of Taiwan, and had been planned islandwide for the end of October.

From January the government has been providing preferential rates of up to 15 percent off for reduced water consumption. In addition, subsidies are available for the purchase of water-saving products. A campaign is underway to raise public awareness of basic water conservation steps such as fixing leaks, reusing water from food preparation and collecting rainwater.

The island’s per capita daily consumption of 274 liters of water, well above the world average of 250 liters, shows just how necessary this campaign is.

To reclaim storage capacity in existing reservoirs, the Cabinet approved a draft bill Feb. 11 earmarking NT$50 billion (US$1.56 billion) for the maintenance of three major reservoirs and the stabilization of water supplies in southern Taiwan.

To develop new storage capacity and sources of usable water, more reservoirs are under consideration, as are coastal reservoirs such as those in the Netherlands. Government agencies are actively studying water reclamation in Singapore, which utilizes advanced membrane technology to purify used water.

According to the World Resources Institute, “By 2025, at least 3.5 billion people—about half the world’s population—will live in areas without enough water for agriculture, industry, and human needs.”

Taiwan’s water crisis cannot be solved overnight. But with full public participation in water conservation—in conjunction with the government’s development of new sources and enlarged storage capacities—the country will never become a “desert island.”

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