Recently, Taiwan has been making significant moves in water resource management. To meet the water demands of the high-tech industry, the government is actively promoting the construction of seawater desalination plants, a trend worth paying attention to.

The desalination plants in Hsinchu and Tainan are already under rapid construction, with expected completion and water production in 2027 and 2028. Each plant has a daily capacity of around 100,000 tons, with investments of NT$12 billion and NT$16 billion respectively, making them quite substantial. These desalinated waters will be directly integrated into the public water supply system, mainly to stabilize water supply for semiconductor and other high-tech manufacturing industries.

Interestingly, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has completed a demand survey across different regions. The next targets are Kaohsiung and Chiayi. As a key area, Kaohsiung will also see large-scale desalination plant projects in the future, currently in the feasibility assessment stage. Water demand not only comes from wafer fabs but also from government-promoted industries such as AI data centers, drones, and other five major trusted industries, which will be adjusted dynamically based on actual needs.

On the cost side, the government has identified several solutions. The desalination plants in Hsinchu and Tainan have already reached consensus with major tech companies like semiconductor firms, which will purchase desalinated water as a drought-season insurance mechanism. Additionally, because different manufacturing processes have varying water quality requirements, a "water exchange" mechanism has been designed, allowing companies to apply for adjustments, coordinated by the Water Resources Agency.

Taiwan Water Corporation is also following up, collaborating with water treatment equipment manufacturers to promote "customized water supply," especially targeting high-tech companies. This approach helps optimize processes at the source and aligns with the ESG trend of increasing wastewater recycling.

The overall water security layout for the industry also includes water resource development in three major science parks and six development zones, covering improvements to water supply networks, interconnection pipeline projects, and recycled water plant construction. Kaohsiung has also been included as a key planning area. It appears that the government is proactively preparing water resource reserves for the industrial development in Kaohsiung, Chiayi, and other regions, laying the groundwork for future industry upgrades.