Water shortage risk in Taiwan’s Silicon Valley

Abstract

ABSTRACT Hsinchu is Taiwan’s Silicon Valley and is an important part of the world’s technology industry, but there is a risk of water shortages in the area. Some of Hsinchu’s water supply is currently taken from neighboring areas. This study determines the risk to Hsinchu’s water supply and proposes solutions to water shortages. Five scenarios are used to determine the risk to the water supply. The simulation of the water resources system for this study uses historical daily flow data from 1969 to 2017 in the river basin. To reduce the risk of future water shortages in Hsinchu, the existing external support (up to 120,000 m3/day) must be maintained, and the Hsinchu area should be prioritized over the needs of the local agricultural industry in terms of water supply. This strategy would increase the water transfer volume of the Touqian River Basin by 36.83 million cubic meters per year. The results show that the water rights transfer program will address water shortages in Hsinchu. If the government’s agriculture, economic and water departments are assertive, this plan is feasible and will not be difficult to implement.