The members of the rapid response team of the Belize Interdepartmental Association, a country with diplomatic relations, include significant officials from the country's Environmental Bureau, Hydrological Bureau, National Emergency Management Bureau, and a research team from the National Taiwan University, which attach great importance to the issues of sewage treatment and water resource reuse. They visited the Shuinan Trade and Economic Park yesterday (22nd) and focused on seeing the Shuinan Water Resources Recycling Center. During their visit, the Water Resource Bureau of the Taichung City Government also showcased the heart of the Shuinan Water Resources Recycling Center's "MBR Membrane Biological Treatment System" and the country's first community-based reclaimed water system. This created a lively exchange and interaction on site.

According to Shih-Yi Fan, the Director of the Water Resource Bureau, Taiwan receives abundant annual rainfall. However, the rain every year per person in Taiwan is only about one-fifth of the world average, and the development of diversified water resources becomes increasingly important because of factors such as the inability to retain water resources with steep slopes and rapid flows and the extreme climate of uneven droughts and floods. Therefore, the city government launched the Shuinan Reclaimed Water Project and signed water contracts with the Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau of the National Science and Technology Council, AUO Corporation, Lien Fung Precision Technology Development Co., Ltd., and Air Liquide Far Eastern in 2021. It expects to provide 10,000 tons of recycled water to the Central Taiwan Science Park every day for use by high-tech industries by 2024. The saved tap water can also increase flexibility in deployment during dry seasons, besides encouraging companies to fulfill their social responsibilities.

The Water Resource Bureau emphasizes that the reclaimed water project begins with connecting household pipe. The sewage flows through household pipes into the water resources recycling center for treatment. Finally, the center can provide reclaimed water to industries for use. The enterprises will bear reasonable prices, turning black water into blue gold. The Water Resource Bureau has been promoting sewage pipe connection for many years, and so far, the number of users in Taichung City has connected pipes to reach 270,000 households. Domestic sewage will no longer discharge into rivers, which can considerably improve the water environment besides improving people's living environment at home. Furthermore, the increased sewage treatment capacity of the water resource recycling center can serve as a valuable source of recycled water, achieving multiple benefits simultaneously.

The Water Resource Bureau has pointed out that the early construction of water recycling centers in Taichung City has often been met with a Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) attitude. In recent years, the water resource recycling centers have moved towards setting up sizable open space areas and park-like designs. In conjunction with the ongoing promotion of the recycled water project, they will transform the water recycling center into a small urban reservoir, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation). Let the public get close to, understand, and support the sewerage construction.

The Water Resource Bureau further emphasized that they designed the Shuinan Water Resources Recycling Center to be concealed underground within Central Park with a green roof. The reading room is regularly open to community neighbors as an evergreen class and a flower art classroom. Recycling water is achieved through the country's first community-based reclaimed water system, maximizing the benefits of water resource reuse. Except for praising the excellent results of water resource recycling and reuse at the Shuinan Water Resource Recycling Center, the visit of the rapid response team of the Belize Interdepartmental Association has also brought a new level of neighborliness and community participation to the town. They witnessed how Taichung City has defied existing stereotypes, allowing the public to access the water resource recycling center and support the sewerage system construction. (8/23 * 16) * Water Resource Bureau

Contact person: Mr. Chen, Water Resource Bureau, Taichung City Government
Contact number: 04-22289111, extension 53654