Kaohsiung, Aug. 5 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian pledged on Saturday that his administration will spend NT$15 billion (US$483.87 million) over the next three years improving the quality of tap water in the Greater Kaohsiung area in southern Taiwan.
Chen offered the promise during an inspection tour of a water purification plant near the Chengching Lake on the outskirts of the southern port city of Kaohsiung.
Chen also declared that he will honor his campaign check not to construct a controversial reservoir in the beautiful Kaohsiung County township of Meinung during his tenure.
"So long as I'm in office, construction of the controversial Meinung Reservoir will be nowhere in sight," Chen stressed.
The president pointed out that the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has drafted short-, medium- and long-term packages of measures to ensure adequate tap water supplies for residents in the Greater Kaohsiung area comprising Kaohsiung City and Kaohsiung County.
"Instead of constructing a new reservoir in Meinung, broached by the previous Kuomintang government, we will adopt other strategies and substitute measures to resolve the Kaohsiung area's water shortage problems," Chen explained.
Noting that short supply and poor quality of drinking water have troubled many residents in the Greater Kaohsiung area, Chen said his administration is determined to carry out a number of programs to ensure fully supply and improve water quality over the next three fiscal years.
The projects will include construction of a highly advanced water purification facility, installation of new water quality improvement and monitoring systems, renovation of the existing Nanhua Reservoir and a Kao-Ping Stream dam, Chen said.
Meanwhile, Chen said the government will streamline the country's overall water management system to upgrade operational efficiency. "We'll integrate all existing water administrative agencies at various levels into a single unit in two phases. As the first step, we will integrate the five water management divisions under the MOEA into a single agency by the end of this year," he pledged.
Chen also urged all fellow countrymen to jointly launch a "Clean Water, Clean River" campaign to protect and conserve water resources.
"The government alone cannot ensure clean water supply. The public and private sectors should join forces to prevent river pollution, particularly the upperstream of major rivers which are primary source of drinking water supplies," Chen said, adding that local companies should also abide by current regulations governing treatment of waste water and chemical solvents.