Taiwan imposes water rationing as drought worsens

More than one million households and businesses in Taiwan’s heavily industrialised central regions were put on water rationing on Tuesday, as the island battles its worst drought in 56 years.

The shortage is expected to particularly impact the water-intensive microchip manufacturing sector during a global shortage of semiconductors that power everything from cars to iPhones and computers.

The state water company is now cutting supplies in Taichung, Miaoli and northern Changhua county for two days a week, with the government warning it must “prepare for the worst”. On rationing days, various restrictions are in place, including no shampoo treatments at hair salons and no car washes at petrol stations.

The dry spell comes after no typhoons made landfall in Taiwan last year for the first time in 56 years.

In southern Tainan city, water levels at the island’s largest reservoir Tsengwen were less than 12 per cent, while the Baihe reservoir was completely dry, according to the Water Resources Agency. 

The worsening water shortage could hamper the island’s plan to plug worldwide, pandemic-driven microchip shortages by ramping up production. Taiwanese high-tech chip foundries are some...