New Taipei Councilor Urges Summer Use of Feicui Reservoir Water Amid Quality Concerns

New Taipei City Councilor Huang Yong-chang is urging authorities to prioritize the use of water from the Feicui Reservoir for the Banxin water plant, particularly during the summer season. The Banxin plant supplies water to the Tucheng, Shulin, Sanxia, and Yingge districts.

Huang highlighted that despite a significant government investment of NT$11.7 billion to connect the Feicui Reservoir and the Banxin water plant, the connection is largely underutilized. Currently, the Banxin plant primarily draws water from the Sanxia River. However, the river's upper reaches, particularly the Dabaoxi, become heavily polluted during summer due to widespread recreational activities like barbecues and swimming.

"Citizens drinking foot-washing water?" Huang questioned, expressing concern over the water quality. He proposed that during the summer, New Taipei City residents should receive their tap water exclusively from the Feicui Reservoir to ensure safer drinking water. He pointed out that the current system requires Taiwan Water Corporation to purchase water from the Taipei Water Department to use the Feicui supply, a cost they are reluctant to incur if not deemed essential.

Taiwan Water Corporation responded that the areas served by the Banxin plant can indeed be supplied by the Feicui Reservoir. They explained that water sources are managed according to the Water Resources Agency's assessments and the policy of transferring water from north to south. When rainfall is sufficient and water conditions are good, the Sanxia River source is utilized, and its water quality is comparable to that of the Feicui Reservoir. The corporation stated that prioritizing local water resources ensures stable supply.

The New Taipei City Water Affairs Bureau confirmed that the hardware infrastructure for the NT$11.7 billion "Banxin Area Water Supply Improvement Project Phase II" was completed in 2019, enabling the transfer of Feicui Reservoir water to the Banxin plant. They acknowledged Councilor Huang's suggestion to increase the proportion of Feicui water supply during summer and stated they would forward the request to the central government for consideration.

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Citizens drinking foot-washing water?