Typhoon Gaemi blew through Taiwan Wednesday and Thursday filling Taiwan’s water reservoirs to maximum capacity. Officials from the Water Resources Agency (WRA) said in an interview Friday that despite this year’s near-drought conditions, Taiwan now likely has enough water to last the year.
According to WRA statistics, Taiwan’s water reservoirs gained over 1.76 billion metric tons of water total between Tuesday to Friday’s rainfall, with the South receiving the most. At one point, 14 reservoirs even had to release water for regulation purposes.
This increase is notable, as only around April this year, the Shihmen Reservoir (石門水庫) in the North was at a water storage rate of only 27% capacity, even lower than 2021’s “100-year drought” levels. That same reservoir now sits at 96.1% capacity, after adjustments when it exceeded capacity during Typhoon Gaemi’s downpour.
WRA Deputy Director Wang, Yi-Fung (王藝峰) said Taiwan’s water supply is enough that it should last through the year. In fact, if it can be maintained until October, there will be no need to worry about drought in the dry season of the next year as well.
Wang also reminded that typhoons can cause local streams to become cloudy. Though it currently isn’t a problem, chlorine may be added to the water for disinfection purposes which may cause a peculiar smell. He assured the public however, that the water can be drunk if boiled. Should the tap water show yellow discoloration or look dirty, they are to stop using it immediately and notify relevant officials for inspection.