Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on Thursday called for tighter water conservation efforts following a report by the Water Resources Agency that the nation’s reservoirs only have a little more than three months’ supply of water.
Climate change research showed that Taiwan would experience longer periods without rain, although some downpours would be more intense, Executive Yuan spokesman Lin Tze-luen (林子倫) quoted Chen as saying after receiving the agency’s report at a Cabinet meeting.
The agency should continue its efforts to improve the water distribution network and develop more water supply sources, particularly in the western half of the country, Lin cited Chen as saying.
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Agency data showed that agriculture typically accounts for about 70 percent of water usage in the nation, while domestic consumption accounts for 20 percent and industry 10 percent.
The volume of rainwater collected in reservoirs across the nation so far this year was only 30 to 60 percent of the typical average, the agency said.
Since October last year, the agency has been promoting mitigation measures, including more frequent cloud seeding and improved irrigation techniques, it said.
To date, the measures have saved about 840 million tonnes of water overall — equivalent to the capacity of four Shihmen Reservoirs (石門水庫) — and has helped the country through this year’s dry season, the report said.
Taiwan is now in the latter half of the dry season and has only about three months’ supply of water left in its reservoirs, it said.
However, given the uncertainty of spring rain patterns and the high demand for water during the heading stage of grain crops like rice, wheat and corn, water supply levels must be closely monitored, particularly at the Shimen, Baoshan (寶山), Yongheshan (永和山) and Liyutan (鯉魚潭) reservoirs in the north, the report said.
Currently, those reservoirs are at 30.7 percent, 33.29 percent, 56.82 percent and 35.23 percent of capacity respectively, agency data showed.
The agency earlier this month raised its drought monitoring signal for Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli and Taichung from a blue light to a green light, reminding people to conserve water.
Under the agency’s five color-based signals, blue signifies normal water supply, while green signals tight water supply. Yellow, orange and red indicate water shortages and a need for increasingly severe water rationing measures.
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