This year's lower-than-expected rainfall might result in rising costs for both water and electricity come April.
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The rainfall for the next season is estimated to be less than average and it sparks a question: Will Taiwan face a water shortage crisis?
When asked about the problem of drought by a legislator, the Water Resources Agency (WRA) Director-General Lai Chien-hsin (賴建信) expressed confidence in preparedness.
But in the face of the dry period, would the reservoirs in various locations be able to supply sufficient water?
Economic Minister Wang Mei-hua (王美花) says that due to a recent spring irrigation, agricultural water consumption was 260 million tons, which caused the current reservoir water levels to drop more significantly.
Despite overall reservoir averages appearing adequate, real-time data shows several major reservoirs across Taiwan are running critically low. The Shigang Dam in Taichung and the Baihe Reservoir in Tainan respectively have effective water storage of less than 20%
The water shortage crisis is imminent, but it's not just water that is worrying people. Electricity price hikes may also be impending.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) says that if electricity prices are raised now, it would be an extremely heavy burden for the Taipei MRT.
Therefore, he hopes that the central government can freeze electricity price hikes for the Taipei MRT or provide preferential programs so that the MRT does not have to raise fares, to increase the proportion of green transportation.
The Economics Ministry plans to convene the Electricity Price Rate Review Committee on Friday to discuss electricity prices for April. Yet, it's not just the general public that is nervous; local governments are also tense.
For the Taipei MRT, electricity costs account for 13% of its operating costs, and in the past two years, the increase in electricity prices has reached 34%.
Minister Wang says the ministry also implemented relevant energy-saving measures last year for railways, highways, and MRT systems, and there are relevant subsidies.
Not only the Taipei MRT, but the Taiwan Railways Administration is also discussing fare adjustment plans. Intercity highway bus operators have also proposed clear fare increase amounts and the public is concerned and anxious.