The water situation in Kaohsiung is more serious than the century-old drought, and the main water source, Gaoping River, has dried up in large areas.

(Photo by reporter Chen Wenchan)

[Reporter Chen Wenchan/Kaohsiung Report] The water situation in Kaohsiung is more serious than the 100-year drought. The main water source, Gaoping River, has dried up in large areas. The Water Resources Department has diversified water resources. Ten more drought-resistant wells were drilled along the Ping River, and a desalination plant was set up in the south and north of Kaohsiung to stabilize the water supply in the south.

Kaohsiung needs about 1.5 million tons of daily water for people's livelihood, and the water supply has been reduced to 1.36 million tons. In addition, the spring rain is not as expected. The flow rate of the main water source, Gaoping Stream, has dropped to 4.6 CMS today, and a large area has dried up. Kaohsiung and Tainan share Nanhua The water storage rate of the reservoir has dropped by 30% today.

The Water Conservancy Department and the Municipal Water Conservancy Bureau dug 50 drought-resistant wells along the Kaoping River, of which 14 along the upper reaches of the Laonong River were suspended due to concerns about water intake from Pingtung farmers. The remaining drought-resistant wells will be completed by the end of April, and the Water Conservancy Department will drill 10 more In response to drought-resistant water wells, we will work hard to complete them in mid-May.

In addition to supporting Kaohsiung’s emergency desalination units, the Water Resources Department will produce water ahead of schedule on April 27, which can increase daily water supply by 15,000 tons. It will also set up a desalination plant in the south and north of Kaohsiung. Feasibility assessment will start this year. In the future, a total of 250,000 tons of water can be produced per day, which will be used as backup water for people's livelihood.

The Water Conservancy Department will also develop the underflowing water of the Laonong River, which is currently undergoing bidding. It is expected to be completed in 2026 and will be able to supply 100,000 tons of water per day. The total daily water production is 80,000 tons, and the Fengshan Water Resources Center will also increase the water volume by 5,200 tons per day.

In addition, the Water Conservancy Department will set up two large-scale water purification equipment to assist farmers in need in order to assist the Dashu jade purse industry. The district office will send out water trucks to carry them, and cooperate with the Agricultural Bureau to subsidize water storage tanks to assist agriculture in replenishing water sources.

The Water Resources Department has drilled 50 drought-resistant wells along the Gaoping River, and will drill 10 more drought-resistant wells in response.

(Photo by reporter Chen Wenchan)