Water Resources

As introduced by the Taiwan Yearbook 2007:

Taiwan performs particularly well with regard to water resources. In the global Pilot 2006 Environmental Performance Index conducted by Yale University, Taiwan scored 99.8 out of a maximum 100 in terms of water quality and the use of water resources.

Taiwan's coastal waters are considered to be of excellent quality, though there are some signs of organic pollution from animal husbandry in the south and contamination in the north due to high population density. In November 2000, the Marine Pollution Control Act (MPCA) was enacted to control marine pollution and protect marine ecology. Since 2002, in accordance with the MPCA, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has employed 104 sampling stations to monitor the quality of coastal waters. The EPA has also established a national contingency plan for severe marine pollution incidents, holding a total of 12 oil-spill drills around Taiwan's coastline and offshore islands in 2006.

Of Taiwan's 151 rivers and streams, 118 are under government supervision, of which just 24 provide 85 percent of the water used by Taiwan's citizens. To ensure water quality in rivers and streams, 314 sampling stations had been established throughout Taiwan as of 2006. Domestic sewage, industrial effluent, and wastewater from livestock farms constitute the main pollutants in Taiwan's rivers. Urban communities are major contributors, primarily because they lack comprehensive sewage systems. Accelerating the construction of public sewers has therefore been prioritized in urban development plans. Businesses are also required to meet various effluent discharge standards. Regular inspections are carried out on sludge generated by businesses, sewage systems, and sewage treatment facilities.

The EPA has advisory groups throughout Taiwan, which conduct quarterly surveys of the island's 57 reservoirs. Information gathered is used as reference data for pollution control. Since 2002, local people have been recruited to form voluntary river patrol squads, which report incidents of pollution to the relevant authorities. By 2005, almost 6,600 volunteers had been recruited, thus both helping to step up pollution control and increase community participation.