Massive program will save energy, transform urban living habits
Taipei is turning to cooler water
For housewives, it means a cut in the gas bill. For students, it means the reduction of a burden.
For thousands of years, the Chinese have been accustomed to drinking boiled water-mostly for safety but also as a habit. When old-fashioned people travel abroad, they often take an electric heating stick with them. They insert the stick into a cup of water, heat it to the boiling point, and then let the water cool before drinking. Every Chinese family has one or two thermos bottles to hold boiled water for making tea or for other purposes. At the same time, cool boiled water is kept in the refrigerator. The daily boiling of water consumes millions of dollars in energy.
In the early morning, before a student leaves home, he must have his water jug filled with water boiled the previous evening for drinking at school. Sometimes, the jug is heavier than his satchel of books, but he must carry both.
To end such energy waste and heavy chores, the government has embarked on a plan to make faucet water drinkable. It is being carried out by stages. The first stage, to ensure the potability of faucet water in Taipei's 24 tourist hotels, was completed at the turn of this year. The second stage calls for improving the quality of drinking water at Taipei's primary schools. After this is accomplished, the project will be extended to all public places and the 850,000 households in the Taipei area.
Pure water without boiling-A new metropolitan program. (File photo).
The water improvement project for students was carried out first at Taipei's Chunghsiao Primary School. When the school was reopened after summer vacation on September 2, the most curious change in the eyes of the 900 pupils was the installation of drinking facilities on each floor of the school buildings. When they were told that the water from the fountains could be drunk without boiling, most student abandoned their jugs. They found the fountain water sweeter than boiled water, but containing a trace of chlorine flavor. The teachers made this discovery an object lesson, telling the children that chlorine is added to water to kill bacteria. As the chloride compound is consumed in the "fight with the bacteria," the leftover flavor suggests that all the bacteria have been killed.
Water bureau technicians tested the chloride content in the presence of the students, teachers, and city councilors.
The content was 0.7 ppm, a level con forming with international standards. After a technician completed the expla nation, more students began to use the fountains.
Each of the four school buildings has eight fountains. These 32 fountains are enough to serve all the students.
Yuan Ching-liang, a student counselor, noted, "Now, cool water is available for pupils who return from physical exercise, indeed a great convenience to them."
The school project to improve its drinking water started June 1. It involved replacement of the main with new pipes, construction of a reservoir-which has sparkling tiled walls-and the installation of a stainless steel motor for pumping water into a holding tank on the fifth floor.
Beginning January 1,1981, the government has required builders to submit water facility designs for approval alongside their master building plans. Daily checks show that the water supply to the 24 tourist hotels is now safe. Of course, in any country, the final condition of water after it leaves the tap ultimately depends on the cleanness of kitchens and glassware.
The water bureau has begun to computerize its water quality control. By the end of this year, water quality will be documented 24 hours a day for every process. Besides, the bureau has been replacing the old pipes. The public health authorities have also tightened their control measures for public places.
To correct popular habits and thinking, the water bureau has launched a mass education campaign, including the printing of a large number of booklets for distribution to household customers. The ideal of water safety cannot be carried out by 1985 as scheduled without the full cooperation of the citizens.
Water pollution has been a constant concern of the government. According to investigations sponsored by the National Science Council, polluting bacteria were found in 49 of the 60 water samples collected from rivers and streams in the Taipei district. These bacteria are not a real problem, because they can be killed easily. The biggest headache is the pollutants deriving from the waste discharges of industry, households, and agriculture.
Vast water treatment facilities herald a new lifestyle for metropolitan area homemakers. (File photo).
Recently, the Ministry of the Interior and related organizations drew up a water resources preservation plan for the Taipei district. Under this plan, discharge of pollutants into waterways is subject to strict controls. At the same time, the Taipei City Government has been step ping up the construction of its sewage treatment project. These efforts, together, will much improve the water pollution situation of tomorrow. - By S. C. Chen