TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A total of 1,817 companies identified as the country’s biggest water users should expect to be charged extra, the government said Thursday (March 18).

Following a year without typhoons, Taiwan has been battling the increasing threat of drought, with reports of low water levels at reservoirs and the vital semiconductor industry having to rely on trucks ferrying water.

In the weekly Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said that factories known to consume more than 10,000 tons of water per month should have to pay an extra high consumption charge.

However, there was no mention of a new water tax or rate hike for the average consumer, only a call for people to be frugal with their water use, CNA reported. Taiwan's low water prices compared to most other developed countries have led to Taiwanese consumers being too wasteful with such a valuable natural resource, Su said.

While the biggest users will face extra charges, factories relying on a large proportion of recycled water or installing special water-saving devices can look forward to discounts, according to the government.