::: Water Quality

Water Quality

• The Water Quality Protection Section is in charge of water pollution control, drinking water management, water quality management, toxic chemicals management, soil and groundwater pollution management, and marine pollution management.　
  
  I. Key Regulation Works
  1. Water Pollution Management
  A.Evaluation and management of effluent discharge.
  B.Inspection and emergency response for effluent discharge.
  C.Volunteer river guards program.
  Diversified domestic sewage treatment.
  
  2. Drinking Water Management
  A.Inspection of drinking water source quality : Tap water, small water treatment facilities, community-installed public water supplies, and bottled or containerized drinking water.
  B.Inspection of drinking water quality - Tap water, Non-tap water, and drinking water equipment.
  C.Random inspections on drinking water treatment agents.
  D.Promotion of regular reservoir and standpipe cleaning and maintenance.
  
  3. Water Quality Management
  A.Groundwater quality monitoring: 30 regional groundwater quality monitoring wells managed by EPA of the Executive Yuan, and 11 groundwater quality monitoring stations for private wells, all with semiannual inspections.
  B.Site-specific groundwater monitoring: 21 site-specific groundwater quality monitoring wells in outdated landfills, industrial zones and other environmental protection sensitive areas with semiannual inspections.
  C.River quality monitoring: 27 river quality monitoring stations (including two stations at dams), and 34 water quality monitoring stations set up by TPC/EPB , with monthly inspections for primary rivers and bi-monthly inspections for secondary rivers.
  
  4. Toxic Chemicals Management and Emergency Rescue
  A.Regulation and management of operating site permits.
  B.Inspection and evaluation of operating sites through unannounced testing, sandbox testing, and on-site testing
  C.National Emergency Response Drill for Toxic Substances.
  
  5. Soil and Groundwater Pollution Management
  A.According to “National Farmland Heavy Metals Inspection and Sites Control Plan” by EPA of the Executive Yuan, five sites in New Taipei City with a total area of 2.6 hectares were declared over the standards. With the completion of  improvement works, all five sites were removed from the control list on December 31, 2004.
  B.As of January 1 ,2005 , provide oil pollution inspection data referencing services upon the establishment, suspension or termination of business according to Article 9 of the Soil and Groundwater Improvement Act .
  C.Provide “Underground Facilities and Monitoring Equipment for Preventing the Pollution of Groundwater ” prospectus for reference.
  
  6. Marine Pollution Management
  A.Evaluation of cases reviewed by the Marine Pollution Control Act (MPCA).
  B.Inspection of mandatory insurance for marine pollution by ships and vessels.
  C.Inspection of marine oil pollution prevention and waste oil collection equipment.
  D.Emergency response plan for marine pollution.
  7. Planning and Management of Constructed Wetlands 　
  
  

  II. Future Vision

  1. Zero Risk in Drinking Water
  To ensure the quality of source water, to enhance the quality of drinking water, and to protect the health of city residents, TPC/EPB is closely monitoring water treatment plants and small water treatment facilities, and has established a pollution notification system and an emergency response mechanism. TPC/EPB will strictly enforce all water quality regulations to reach the standard of “Zero Risk in Drinking Water.”
  
  2. River Pollution Management
  In order to meet the river water body quality classification standards in the short term, and to revive the ecosystem and to improve the river water body quality standards in the long term, TPC/EPB enforces river basin regulation rules, analyzes river water quality and the distribution of pollution sources, and reduces the total amount of point source pollution and nonpoint source pollution through the implementation of various regulations and policies. TPC/EPB also periodically reviews the results and modifies regulation strategies to achieve the final goal of river water quality enhancement.
  
  3. Creation of Regional Water Culture
  Improve the ecosystem and effectively treat domestic sewage through natural water purification systems raise local autonomy to establish volunteer river guards and create a diverse local water culture based on local characteristics.
  
  4. Zero Environmental Hazard
  Tighten control of the distribution and application of carcinogenic, mutagenic, and accumulative toxic chemicals and other commonly seen chemicals. In addition to a business database, TPC/EPB will also establish a collaborative toxic chemical pollution prevention unit, direct emergency response drills for all types of toxic chemical pollution accidents, and strictly regulate the operation and management of business related to toxic chemicals to reduce environmental damages from toxic chemicals pollutions.
  
  5. Marine Resource Protection
  A.Install “collection system for vessel waste and other pollutants ” at seaports and strictly conduct inspections on illegal ocean dumping of wastes, oil or other pollutants for the protection of the marine ecosystem.
  B.Prevent pollution sources from both land and sea. For example, instead of developing seashore cultivation, artificial seawalls, and seaports from coastal wetlands, utilize the coastal wetlands, intertidal zones, lagoons, and estuaries for sheltering marine inhabitants.
  C.Strictly regulate ocean dumping and effectively protect marine ecosystem by requiring enterprises submitting detailed marine pollution prevention plans before dumping.
  D.Implement marine pollution monitoring programs to instantly control the status and quality of the local marine ecosystem. Use the data as reference for future improvement and rehabilitation works.
  
   Water Quality   :Tseng Shih Hao TEL: 02-29532111 Ext.2101