Concerned about the water shortage, after inspecting the Shihmen Reservoir in Taoyuan City on March 7, President Ma Ying-jeou visited the Second Baoshan Reservoir in Hsinchu County on March 14 to examine the state of the water supply and discuss necessary drought countermeasures.
After arriving, the president went to the viewing platform to examine the current water levels at the reservoir. He then made his way to the reservoir's management center where he received a briefing from the Ministry of Economic Affairs' (MOEA) Water Resources Agency (WRA), following which he engaged in a discussion with representatives from companies in the Hsinchu Science Park, local government leaders, and the MOEA on measures to combat the drought.
In summary remarks following the discussion, President Ma said that this year marks the lowest rainfall in the autumn and winter seasons since 1947. Last year, the Hsinchu area's average daily water supply was about 500,000 tons and as of 7:00 a.m. on March 12, the effective amount of water stored at the Baoshan Reservoir was 2.05 million tons, he said. Meanwhile, the water in reserve at the Second Baoshan Reservoir was about 7.96 million tons, making the aggregate amount of water available at these two reservoirs a little over 10 million tons. If the drought persists, by the end of the month, the total amount of water will only be 8.93 million tons. President Ma acknowledged that while this means there is still water available, the situation is in fact extremely dangerous.
The president also mentioned that Taiwan has the 18th most serious water shortage in the world. Although Taiwan receives considerable rainfall, much of it is difficult to store for later use. Meanwhile, extreme climate change has resulted in even less rain during the dry season, while rainfall during the rainy season frequently results in flooding. He pointed out that while the Central Weather Bureau is forecasting the eventual arrival of the "plum rains," the rainy season, the exact timing is difficult to predict. Consequently, the public must use water judiciously before the rainy season comes, he said.
The president stressed that the Executive Yuan on March 19 convened the second working meeting of the Drought Central Emergency Operations Center, to explain to city and county leaders the seriousness of the crisis and implement related countermeasures. The president also reiterated his calls for the public to be aware of the crisis and be redouble their vigilance. He went on to ask the MOEA's WRA to enhance cooperation with city and county governments and schools to strengthen information campaigns to instill water conservation concepts among the public. This, he said, will enable the public to realize that "water conservation is everyone's responsibility," and that the government and the public have to work together in facing this crisis.
In the afternoon, President Ma visited Gao-Ping Tomato Farm in Guanxi Township of Hsinchu County to understand the measures adopted there in conserving water used for irrigation. The president distributed water-saving faucet gaskets to visitors at the farm in order to bring attention to water conservation concepts.
In remarks, the president stated that 72% of Taiwan's total water use goes toward agriculture, while industry is responsible for about 9% and household usage is about 19%. Of the water used in agriculture, water for irrigation accounts for about 63%. He stated that he is pleased to see that the Gao-Ping Tomato Farm is using water-saving irrigation pipes in the watering of its strawberries and tomatoes, which is not only cutting back on water usage by 50%, but is also conserving considerable manpower.
The president also thanked the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture and the agricultural community for their efforts in conserving water to fight the drought. He stated that due to the tough situation currently facing the nation, some measures that halt irrigation can't be avoided. He went on to say that the industrial sector and the public at large should also embrace a sense of crisis right away in order to save water. Each person can save water in their daily lives, he said. President Ma remarked that the ROC is currently facing its most serious drought in 68 years and that in addition to all sectors of society adopting appropriate water conservation measures, the only way to make it through this crisis is to persevere and wait for the situation to change, hoping that the "plum rains" arrive soon.