Engineering Agency,Taipei Water Department

Overview

Initial Development

　　Public water supply in the Taipei area dates back to the Qing Dynasty when General Liu Mingchuan, as Governor of Taiwan, initiated the digging of wells in the urban area, followed by filtration and disinfection processes for public drinking water. The first modern water supply system was established in 1909, beginning with a slow sand filtration facility drawing from the Xindian River, with a maximum output of 17,362 CMD (cubic meters per day) and designed to serve a population of 120,000. Subsequent developments included partial capacity increases in 1916, the tapping of the first and third hot springs in Yangmingshan in 1932, and the fourth spring in 1943. By the end of Japanese rule, the total designed water supply volume was 56,706 CMD for Taipei’s urban district, 625 CMD for Shilin, 4,000 CMD for Beitou, and 100 CMD for Neihu, amounting to 61,431 CMD in total. It covered a population of 340,628 with a service coverage rate of 60%. 

Post-War Period

　　In the decade following Taiwan’s retrocession, a number of localized expansions were carried out, including the installation of a 100HP pump at the Xindian River intake, two deep wells in Wanhua, the Xindian rapid filtration plant, and a slow filtration facility in Shuangxi. These projects added 54,000 CMD to the total supply, but demand growth still outpaced supply, leading to shortages. To address the urgent situation, Taipei Water Plant began drilling numerous deep wells within the city. By 1958, the average daily water supply reached 135,000 CMD, with a peak of 150,000 CMD, serving a population of 813,825 and achieving a coverage rate of approximately 88%.

I. Background

　　The post-war water infrastructure in Taipei was modest in scale and could not keep pace with the city's rapid urban expansion. Although there were early plans to develop a major new water source capable of supplying 400,000 CMD based on a saturated population of 1.2 to 1.3 million people (at an average of 250 liters per person per day), the required investment was substantial, and the Program remained stalled at the planning stage. Meanwhile, neighboring townships in Taipei County—Sanchong, Zhonghe, Yonghe, Jingmei, Muzha, Xindian, Shilin, and Nangang—had effectively become part of the Greater Taipei area. Among these, only Shilin and Nangang had small water plants, while the rest lacked piped water infrastructure. Constructing separate water systems for each township was economically inefficient and beyond their financial means. In response, the Taiwan Provincial Government decided to adopt a regional water supply approach centered on Taipei City, breaking through administrative boundaries to carry out long-term, systematic water source development. Thus, the Taipei Water Plant became the first metropolitan water utility in northern Taiwan based on the principle of regional supply.

II. Objectives and Benefits

　　The target year for the Program was 1969, with the goal of increasing the daily output by 200,000 CMD to supply not only central Taipei but also the surrounding townships under Taipei County, including Sanchong, Zhonghe, Yonghe, Jingmei, Muzha, Xindian, and Shilin.

III. Service Population and Water Demand

　　Upon completion, the Program would bring the total daily water output to 300,000 CMD, serving a population of 1,180,000 people.

IV. Scope

　　Based on Taipei’s population, living standards, and industrial and commercial needs in 1958, the city required approximately 240,000 metric tons of tap water per day to meet normal demand. However, the Taipei Water Plant’s existing capacity could only supply about half of that. An immediate expansion was therefore imperative. Recognizing that the nearby townships of Sanchong, Yonghe, Zhonghe, Muzha, Jingmei, Xindian, and Shilin had already become satellite communities of Taipei City, and that aside from Shilin, these townships lacked their own water supply facilities, the Taiwan Provincial Government concluded that the expansion of Taipei’s water system should include these areas. Adopting a regional water supply model was deemed the most economically efficient solution. In April 1958, the Taipei Regional Water Supply Construction Committee was established to oversee the long-term regional water development plan, including its planning, design, construction, and financing. The Phase I Construction Program was launched immediately thereafter. Targeting the year 1969 and a service population of 1,180,000, Phase I included the construction of the Chanchu Mountain Water Purification Plant (now known as the Changxing Water Purification Plant) with a daily capacity of 200,000 CMD; three deep wells; three large elevated distribution reservoirs; and over 300 kilometers of newly installed transmission and distribution pipelines. The entire Program was completed in February 1965, increasing the Taipei water system’s total daily output to 300,000 CMD and extending the service area to include the townships of Sanchong, Shilin, Yonghe, Zhonghe, Jingmei, Xindian, and Muzha in Taipei County.