LONDON — Amidst the worst drought conditions for several years, Taiwan has started to ration water supplies to more than one million households in New Taipei city, neighboring Taoyuan city and Hsinchu county, according to a news release from the International Water Association’s (IWA) Water 21.
The water rations will be in the form of indefinite water cut-offs for two days per week, stated the release.
Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operation Center will also meet to discuss potential water rationing for the cities of Kaohsiung and Tainan at the end of May, continued the release.
Due in early April, the normal seasonal rainfall failed to occur, and Taiwan’s dry spell is forecast to continue, added the release.
In a statement, reported the release, the economics affairs ministry said the water supply situation “is urgent, as Taiwan had the lowest rainfall last autumn and winter since 1947.”
Water levels in the Shihmen reservoir, which supplies water in the area, are now at around 25 percent of capacity — the lowest since the reservoir went into operation in 1964, noted the release.
Read the entire release here.
