Premier Mao Chi-kuo has announced that water rationing originally scheduled to begin on April 1 will now be pushed back a week. The decision comes after a week of steady rain saw water levels in the Shihmen Reservoir make a modest recovery.
During the announcement on Monday, Mao added that the decision to postpone water rationing also aims to avoid inconveniencing the public during the long Tomb Sweeping Day weekend set to begin Friday.
Beginning April 8, residents of Taoyuan City and parts of New Taipei City will see their water shut off two days every week. The decision to impose water rationing comes as parts of Taiwan deal with the worst drought in 67 years.
The latest figures from Taiwan’s Water Resources Agency show that last week’s rain saw the water level in the Shihmen Reservoir rise just above 220 meters. The reservoir’s current effective storage capacity now sits at around 25%. However, the water shortage remains severe and looks set to continue.