Water Resources Agency, MOEA– Major Events in 2024

January 5　Commencement of the Huwei Township Riverside Environmental Construction Project.

 Minister Mei-Hua Wang, accompanied by WRA Director-General Chien-Hsin Lai, attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the “Beigang River Huwei Levee Environmental Construction Project (Phase 1)” held near the Beigang River floodplain. Legislator Chih-Fen Su, Yunlin County Water Resources Director Hung-Po Hsu, and Director of Cultural Affairs Department Pi-Chun Chen were also present.
 

February 1　2024 MOEA Water and Drought Disaster Prevention and Response Exercise (Including Taiwan Lantern Festival Emergency Drill)

 Deputy Director-General Hung-Pu Huang represented the Ministry of Economic Affairs as the Central Commanding Officer, leading officials from multiple ministries(Representatives from the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of National Defense, National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Prevention and Relief, gender equality groups, and disability groups.) and agencies in Tainan City to conduct comprehensive flood and drought response drills, including military Simulation, live exercises, shelter management, and post-event review meetings, totaling 47 scenarios.
 

February 2　WRA Achieves Dual Carbon Reduction Milestones; First Government Water Agency Worldwide to Receive PAS 2080 Certification

 The WRA pioneered a “Lifecycle Carbon Management for Hydraulic Engineering Projects,” verified by the British Standards Institution (BSI) under the PAS 2080:2023 Carbon Management in Buildings and Infrastructure standard. Deputy Minister Chuan-Neng Lin witnessed the certification ceremony where BSI Taiwan COO Chun-Hao Hsieh presented the certificate to Director-General Chien-Hsin Lai. The WRA became both the world’s first public water authority and Taiwan’s first government agency to receive PAS 2080 certification.

March 19　2024 Water Conservation Excellence Awards Ceremony

 Under the theme “Every Drops Counts, Good to Great,” the WRA hosted the 2024 Water Conservation Excellence Awards Ceremony. Deputy Minister Chuan-Neng Lin, Director-General Chien-Hsin Lai, and Taiwan Water Corporation Chairman JIA-RONG LEE, presented awards to ten institutions and one “Water-Saving Champion,” collectively saving 2.87 million tons of water annually. The event encouraged the public and private sectors to engage in concrete water-saving actions to support Taiwan’s 2050 Net Zero Transformation.
 

March 20　Premier Chien-Jen Chen Inspects the Dahan River Embankment and Riverside Path Integration Project

 Premier Chien-Jen Chen visited New Taipei City to review the “Dahan River Embankment and Riverside Path Integration Project.” He praised the collaboration between the WRA and the city government and called for accelerated completion of the riverside roadwork to enhance accessibility and provide a high-quality waterfront environment.

April 5　Post-Earthquake Safety Inspection Confirms Integrity of Hydraulic Facilities (Earthquake on April 3)

 Following a magnitude 7.2 earthquake off Hualien at 7:58 a.m., the WRA immediately activated its emergency response team and deployed personnel and drones to inspect all hydraulic structures, offices, and liquefaction-prone areas nationwide. No damage was reported. The agency also assisted Hualien County in stabilizing the tilted Uranus Building using concrete wave breakers.

April 9　Premier Chien-Jen Chen Inspects the Wannian River Water Environment Improvement Project in Pingtung 

 Premier Chien-Jen Chen, joined by Spokesperson and Executive Director Tze-Luen Lin, Minister of Transportation and Communications Kuo-Tsai Wang, Deputy Minister Chuan-Neng Lin, Pingtung County Magistrate Chun-Mi Chou visited the WRA-led improvement project in Pingtung County. Director-General Chien-Hsin Lai explained the creation of ecological detention ponds and riverside-friendly zones under the project.
 

April 15　Premier Chien-Jen Chen Reviews Progress on the Shimen Reservoir–Hsinchu Interconnection Tunnel Project

 Premier Chen, accompanied by Vice Premier Wen-Tsan Cheng, Minister Mei-Hua Wang, WRA Director-General Chien-Hsin Lai, Legislator Yuling Lu, and Director of the Water Resources Bureau of Taoyuan City Government Zhenyu Liu, inspected the tunneling works of the Shihmen Reservoir–Hsinchu Interconnection Project. The Premier commended the WRA’s proactive water management and urged faster implementation of the Feitsui-to-Taoyuan linkage to enhance northern Taiwan’s water resilience.

April 19　Premier Chien-Jen Chen Inspects Dust Suppression Achievements at Zhuoshui River Estuary

 Premier Chen, joined by Minister without Portfolio Tze-Cheng Wu, Minister of environment Fuh-Sheng Shieu, Deputy Minister of the Ministry Chern-Chyi Chen, Legislator Jianguo Liu, Yunlin County Magistrate Li-Shan Chang and Director-General Chien-Hsin Lai visited the Zhuoshui River estuary to inspect dust suppression results, recognizing the collective efforts of all participating agencies.
 

May 8　President Ing-Wen Tsai Inspects the Zengwen–Nanhua Interconnection Trial Operation

 President Ing-Wen Tsai, accompanied by Director-General Chien-Hsin Lai, inspected the Zengwen–Nanhua interconnection trial operation. She praised the WRA for completing the project six months ahead of schedule, boosting southern Taiwan’s water supply flexibility.
 

May 29　Integrity Platform Launched for the Suao River Diversion Project

 The First River Management Branch and the Yilan County Government jointly established an Integrity Procurement Platform for the “Suao River Diversion Project.” The declaration ceremony was co-chaired by Deputy Director-General Yuan-Peng Lin and Yilan County Magistrate Tzu-miso Lin, with cross-agency participation from judicial, anti-corruption, and environmental authorities. 
 

June 1　WRA Advances Digital Transformation and Smart Disaster Prevention

 The Executive Yuan approved a five-year NT$3.09 billion “Smart Flood Mitigation Plan.” The WRA integrates AI technology and data-driven innovation to improve flood forecasting, risk assessment, and emergency response, enhancing public disaster resilience and reducing climate-related losses. 

June 14　“Legacy and Innovation in Water Resources” – 2024 National Water Resources Contribution Awards & Shihmen Reservoir 60th Anniversary

 The WRA hosted the “Legacy and Innovation in Water Resources” ceremony, recognizing 26 outstanding contributors and the Shihmen Reservoir’s 60th anniversary. Deputy Minister Cheng-Chi Chen delivered congratulatory remarks. Over 1,100 participants from government, academia, and industry attended the event celebrating excellence and innovation in Taiwan’s water management.
 

July 1　Executive Yuan Approves Laonong River Disaster Resilience Program

 The Executive Yuan approved the “Laonong River Disaster Resilience Program,” jointly implemented by the WRA and the Soil and Water Conservation Agency. With a total budget of NT$1.8839 billion from 2025 to 2029, the plan includes upstream river dredging, embankment construction, and groundwater recharge works to enhance disaster resilience and water storage capacity.
 

July 5　Executive Yuan Approves Long-Term Water Supply Planning for Keelung Region

 The Executive Yuan approved the “Preliminary Planning for Long-Term Stable Water Supply in Keelung,” covering the Xizhi–Keelung Interconnection Pipeline and Gongliao Adjustment Pond projects. These efforts will improve backup water resources and regional supply resilience for the Keelung River basin.

July 12　Completion of Dahan River Riverside Path Network

The Dahan River Riverside Path network from Sanchong to Yingge has been completed, addressing long-standing local concerns over erosion, wetland preservation, and traffic access. The WRA managed embankment protection and subgrade construction, while the New Taipei City Government completed the road surface under central government funding, improving both flood safety and mobility.
     

July 16　Taiwan’s First Registered Afforestation Carbon Offset Project Completed

 The WRA’s Fourth River Management Brance completed Taiwan’s first officially registered afforestation carbon offset project, planting trees on 2.25 hectares along the Dongpurui River. Approved by the Ministry of Environment, the project is expected to sequester approximately 605 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent over 30 years.

August 9　WRA’s Short Film “My Aspiration” Wins Gold at Taipei Golden Eagle Microfilm Festival

 Based on a true story, the WRA-produced microfilm “My Aspiration” honors women in hydraulic engineering. The film won the Gold Award at the 8th Taipei Golden Eagle Microfilm Festival, standing out among 183 entries. The award was presented to WRA Chief Secretary Chen-Yuan Chien by Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy Chairman Eugene Chien.
 

September 9　WRA Receives MOEA Quality Award for Engineering Excellence

 The WRA received eight awards at the MOEA’s 2024 Public Construction Quality Awards, with seven projects nominated for the Executive Yuan’s Golden Quality Award. Section Chief Chieh-Wen Chen of the Sixth River Management Office also received an individual contribution award for his outstanding service.

September 10–11　2024 Taiwan International Water Week and Global Water Forum

 The WRA hosted the “2024 Taiwan International Water Week – Global Water Forum” at the Taipei International Convention Center. The two-day event featured one Water Leader Summit and nine sub-forums, with 49 experts participating. It attracted 1,261 onsite attendees and 4,621 online viewers (as of October 7).

October 6　President Ching-Te Lai Inspects Typhoon Damage in Jinshan and Wanli, New Taipei City

 President Ching-Te Lai, accompanied by Director-General Chien-Hsin Lai, inspected the flood damage in Wanli District caused by Typhoon Krathon and discussed subsequent rehabilitation measures.

October 12　Premier Jung-Tai Cho Inspects the Dianbao River Yuliao Detention Basin

 Premier Jung-Tai Cho visited the Yuliao Detention Basin in Kaohsiung following Typhoons Gaemi and Krathon to assess post-flooding conditions. He emphasized systematic and continuous flood management planning to enhance local flood resilience and public safety. 

October 29　Completion of Dajia River Shield Tunnel after 793 Days of Continuous Work

 The Dajia and Daan Rivers are critical water sources for central Taiwan. After 793 days of continuous tunneling, the Dajia River conveyance tunnel—the first section of the Daan–Dajia Interconnection Project—was successfully completed. This project enhances regional water stability and reduces supply interruptions caused by turbidity.
 

November 14　WRA Wins Executive Yuan Sustainable Development Award for Carbon Budget Management

 The WRA’s pioneering “Carbon Budget Management” initiative earned the Executive Yuan Sustainable Development Award for outstanding achievement in promoting public- and private-sector decarbonization.

November 19　WRA Renews International PAS 2080 Certification

 Following its 2023 certification, the WRA successfully passed the 2024 PAS 2080 revalidation audit, reaffirming its adherence to international standards in carbon management and its progress toward the Taiwan’s 2050 Net Zero Transformation.

November 22　WRA Wins “Golden Safety Award” for Occupational Safety Management

 The WRA won recognition at the Ministry of Labor’s 18th Golden Safety Awards for excellence in occupational safety management, with the Daan–Dajia Interconnection Project receiving a merit award.
 

November 29　Chin-Te Chen, Executive Yuan’s Minister without Portfolio Inspects the Suao River Diversion Project

 Minister without Portfolio Chin-Te Chen inspected the Suao River Diversion Project’s progress. The WRA and the Executive Yuan’s Public Construction Commission pledged to expedite review processes to ensure timely completion, which will mitigate flooding risks and reduce siltation at the Port of Suao.
 

December 3　WRA Director-General and Southern Regional Water Resources Brench Receive Top Honors from Taiwan Water Affairs Organization

 At the association’s annual meeting, Director-General Chien-Hsin Lai received the Distinguished Excellence Medal, the organization’s highest honor, recognizing his outstanding leadership in water governance. The Southern Regional Water Resources Brench was awarded the Water Affairs Organization Gold Award for excellence in operations.

December 4　WRA Wins Nine Awards at the 24th Public Construction Golden Quality Awards

 The WRA received nine awards from the Executive Yuan’s Public Construction Commission, including one Special Excellence, three Excellence, and two Honorable Mention in the Hydraulic Engineering category, as well as facility maintenance recognitions and one individual achievement award.