Storage From 85% to Full, Typhoon Adds 276 Million Units of Water
The Water Resources Agency said on the 11th that after entering the dry season in October, storage rates at major Taiwan-wide reservoirs have stayed at 85% to 100%. Among them, Shimen, Baoshan-Baoer, and Yongheshan reservoirs are all full, while the Zengwen-Wushantou reservoir has reached 85%, with overall storage more ample than in previous years. The Agency noted that Typhoon Changpi in late October brought 276 million units of water supply to Taiwan-wide reservoirs, helping boost storage.
The Central Weather Administration forecasts normal to above-normal rainfall for the coming quarter covering December, January, and February. Based on historical data, after an extremely strong El Nino year, spring rainfall in the following year tends to be above normal. Dry-season rainfall will concentrate in the north and east, while the central and south enter the dry season, with the overall water situation still leaning optimistic.
Stable Supply Before Lunar New Year, Watching Chun Yu Variable
Water Resources Agency Director-General Lin Yuanpeng said storage above 85% is better than the same period in past years, but Taiwan's reservoirs often need to fill 2 to 4 times to support full-year water use. He assessed that water conditions in the south will see little impact through the end of next May, while Shimen Reservoir faces supply pressure due to large water consumption, and Baoshan Reservoir due to large consumption but small capacity.
Lin Yuanpeng said he is confident water supply will remain quite stable before next year's Lunar New Year, with attention to turn to next year's Chun Yu conditions. He noted uncertainty remains in rainfall, with the plum rain season delayed in recent years, so supply preparations will not only consider through the end of May and will take a more conservative approach.
Pearl Necklace Pushes Cross-Regional Allocation, Dual Trunk Lines Budgeted at 19.9 Billion
The Pearl Necklace program has been promoted since the 2017 Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, with 16 trunk lines planned in total, 11 completed so far, and the remaining 5 expected to be completed within 3 to 5 years, linking major regional pipelines across Taiwan to aid cross-regional water resource allocation. Lin Yuanpeng described trunk lines as like the aorta of the human body, still needing secondary arteries, citing the 2016 Meinong, Kaohsiung earthquake that broke a major trunk line in Yongkang, Tainan, causing Tainan to suspend water supply for over 1 week, to illustrate the importance of backup capacity.
The Water Resources Agency and Taiwan Water have proposed a dual trunk line plan, with about 19.9 billion budgeted for 17 backup pipelines, targeted for completion in 2028, to give densely populated major metropolitan areas, industrial parks, and science parks dual protection, to be expanded later with science parks, industrial parks, and urban plans. Regarding the basic water resources management plan reviewed every 5 years, Lin Yuanpeng said current supply exceeds demand by 10 to 20%, with backup capacity reaching over 40%, making supply relatively stable.