The insufficient rainfall this spring has strained reservoirs in central and northern Taiwan. The Water Resources Agency has announced that the phase-1 water rationing will be enforced starting today, which means that the water supply will be reduced from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day. The measure will affect parts of Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, and Changhua.

Due to low rain levels this spring, water levels at Taichung's Liyutan Reservoir have fallen significantly.

The Taiwan Water Corporation has announced that water rationing measures will go into effect in Greater Taipei, Taoyuan, Miaoli, Taichung, and Changhua on April 1st.

According to TWC, current water levels at Hsinchu's Baoer Reservoir and Taichung's Liyutan Reservoir are 30% and 40% less than in years past.

During the first phase of rationing, water pressure will be reduced during evening hours.

Authorities will also be reducing the water supply to Hsinchu's industrial sector by 10% and agricultural sector by 25% in the hopes of conserving water until the plum rain season.

Reservoirs are needed to store water because of Taiwan's mountainous geography, but sediment buildup is a constant problem.

Shimen Reservoir's sedimentation rate reached 31% in 2009, which led to a severe loss of useable water.

While weather forecasts are predicting rain in the next few days, the impact on reservoir water levels will be limited.

TWC is calling on the public to conserve water, and says that the second phase of water rationing may include water restrictions on swimming pools, car washes, and other high water consumption businesses.

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