Taipei: Taiwan's public water supply is expected to remain stable through September, with reservoirs holding about one month's worth of safe storage, the Water Resources Agency (WRA) said Thursday. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, WRA Director-General Lin Yuan-peng detailed how water-saving measures and interregional water transfer projects have preserved approximately 1.1 billion metric tons of water. These efforts, combined with recent plum rain, are anticipated to maintain water resource stability through the end of September.
According to Focus Taiwan, irrigation water has been supplied for the first crop season in regions such as Kaohsiung and the Chiayi-Tainan area. In contrast, irrigation deliveries for central and northern Taiwan are expected to conclude by the end of June. With the increasing uncertainty of weather and the onset of the typhoon season, the agency plans to manage water resources flexibly and maintain coordination with suppliers and users to ensure adequate water supplies for domestic, industrial, and agricultural needs.
At a subsequent news conference, Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee relayed Premier Cho Jung-tai's remarks on Taiwan experiencing its lowest winter rainfall on record. Cho highlighted the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Ministry of Agriculture, National Science and Technology Council, and local governments in allocating 520 million metric tons of water before the plum rain season. He also noted the MOEA's push to expedite the completion of six remaining major pipelines out of a 16-pipeline project.
The premier stated that recent plum rains are projected to contribute about 390 million metric tons of water, alleviating supply pressures in southern Taiwan. Meanwhile, due to heavy rainfall in some parts of the country, the Central Weather Administration has increased the frequency of weather updates to assist local governments in enhancing flood-prevention measures.
In response to ongoing unstable weather, Cho instructed government agencies to bolster preparedness efforts and coordinate closely with local governments to monitor disaster conditions. He expressed gratitude to personnel involved in flood-prevention and infrastructure work and emphasized the importance of workplace safety. This follows an incident where a construction site manager was swept away by floodwaters but was later rescued. To prevent such occurrences, Cho called on construction contractors to adhere strictly to safety procedures and urged local governments to enhance oversight.