TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The New Taipei City government began constructing water pipelines on Wednesday (July 10) to solve the water shortage problem in the remote Wulai District (烏來區), which is expected to benefit 200 families once completed,

Owing to the limitations posed by the mountain terrain, residents in Wulai Village (烏來里) and Zhongzhi Village (忠治里) have had to rely on spring water or water trucks to make up for the insufficient running-water system, which was severely damaged by Typhoon Soudelor in 2015, UDN reports.

The Water Resources Department and the district government had been searching for sites for the new pipelines since 2017. The department plans to use water from the nearby Tonghou River (桶後溪) and the Taipei Water Department to stabilize the future supply and quality of water in Wulai District.

The construction includes the installation of ductile cast-iron pipelines 7,500 meters in length and 100 to 200 millimeters in diameter. Adopting the new type design improves not just water safety of the pipe system, but also its seismic resistance, leak prevention, and age limits.

In addition to the pipelines, six 100-ton or 500-ton pump stations will be built to distribute the water. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2020.