By RK Shih/Staff – Image shows a rendering of the Tainan desalination plant. (Via Tainan City Government)
TAIPEI/CHIAYI— Taiwan’s Water Resources Agency is planning to build a desalination plant in Budai Township (布袋鎮), Chiayi County (嘉義縣), aiming to boost water supply and reduce the impact of uneven rainfall in central and southern Taiwan.
The proposed facility will occupy about six hectares, including the desalination plant, seawater intake and discharge structures, and landscaped areas. According to CNA, construction is expected to be completed by 2032, with a maximum production capacity of 100,000 tonnes of water per day.
The project was reviewed on Monday during a briefing and environmental assessment meeting held by the Ministry of Environment and the Water Resources Agency. Officials said desalination will provide a stable water source amid climate change, as it is not affected by rainfall variability.
The agency said the plant is a key part of broader plans to link science and technology parks across southern Taiwan, supporting industries such as semiconductors, drones, robotics, and space-related technologies, while reducing Chiayi’s reliance on water supplies from Yunlin and Tainan.
To limit marine impacts, undersea cables will be routed away from shipping lanes, oyster farms, and fishing areas, and pipelines will be buried about three meters below the seabed to avoid interference with future port development.
The Ministry of Environment said water quality near the site must be monitored, with construction halted if discharge standards are exceeded. Developers are also required to review 10 years of data on whale and dolphin strandings, as well as wetland bird activity, and take steps to minimize ecological impact.
Taiwan currently operates about 25 desalination plants, most of them on outlying islands, with others serving industrial use or emergency backup.
