TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) said the expansion of the Linkou Water Resources Recycling Center has doubled sewage treatment capacity from 23,000 to 46,000 tons per day, providing enough sewage treatment for 170,000 residents.

New Taipei Water Resources Department Director Song De-ren (宋德仁) said Linkou’s population is rapidly growing due to new developments and transportation. The population is now 130,000, and the domestic sewage treatment capacity needed to be expanded as it had already reached saturation, per CNA.

To solve the problem, Song said approximately NT$750 million (US$22.7 million) was invested in the second phase expansion, which was completed on Jan. 17. Trial operations are underway and will provide adequate sewage treatment for the community until 2034.

The New Taipei Water Resources Department operates water recycling centers in Linkou, Tamsui, and Sanying. In the future, a water recycling center will be built in Ruifang, treating 4,500 tons per day.

The Ruifang facility will collect and treat domestic sewage from the Sijiaoting and Zhaofeng villages. The new water recycling center will also improve the water quality of the Keelung River.