TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — There will be no water shortages and no tariff increases on water for three months this summer, Taiwan Water Corporation Chairman Hu Nan-tzer (胡南澤) said Tuesday (June 23).

While the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is certain to affect the company's revenue for the year, there will still be plans to raise fees for the public, the Liberty Times quoted Hu as saying at shareholders' meeting.

The year started with a threat of drought, especially in the south, but the plum rain season has changed that situation, leading to the virtual certainty that there will be no water shortages during the coming three months, according to the chief of the state utility.

On the contrary, the typhoon season and outbreaks of torrential rain might cause the opposite problem, muddying the water and stopping the supply due to excessive turbidity, Hu said.

The water company chairman also told shareholders about the problems his business was facing, such as aging pipelines, a price too low to reflect the cost, the paucity of new water sources, extreme weather related to climate change, and tougher quality standards. The use of recycled water by the industry played a key factor in the loss of revenue for the Taiwan Water Corp., according to Hu.