TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Water Resources Agency plans to build a desalination plant in Chiayi’s Budai Township to increase the county’s water supply and reduce the impact of uneven rainfall in central and southern Taiwan.
The plant will occupy about 6 hectares, including the desalination facility, intake and discharge structures, and landscaped areas. It is expected to be completed by 2032, with a production capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes of water daily, per CNA.
The Ministry of Environment and the agency held a briefing and an environmental assessment meeting Monday for the proposed facility. The agency said that amid climate change and uneven rainfall, the plant will provide a stable water supply unaffected by weather conditions.
The agency said the project is crucial as the government plans to link southern Taiwan’s science and technology parks to promote the semiconductor, drone, robotics, and space sectors, while reducing Chiayi’s reliance on water supplied from Yunlin and Tainan.
The agency said the developer will route undersea cables away from shipping lanes, oyster farms, and fishing zones, and bury the plant’s pipelines 3 meters under the seabed to avoid affecting future port development.
The ministry said water quality near the construction site must be monitored, and work halted if waste discharge standards are exceeded.
The ministry required the developer to gather data from the past 10 years on whale and dolphin strandings near the proposed plant, as well as information on wetland birds. The developer must also take measures to minimize impacts on these species.
According to the Tainan City Government, its desalination plant in Jiangjun District is expected to complete its first phase by 2028, supplying 100,000 tonnes of water daily. Water from the facility will be integrated into Taiwan Water Corp.’s supply system and managed by the company for industrial use.
Taiwan has about 25 desalination plants, with around 22 located on outlying islands to supply residential water. The remaining plants mainly serve industrial needs, or act as emergency backup.
