To protect the algal reef along the coast of Taoyuan City, the EPA and the Taoyuan City Department of Environmental Protection have been implementing the Taoyuan City Algal Reef Pollution Source Inspection and Control Plan since April 2012. Starting from December 2015, the EPA has also been providing volunteers with simple water quality testing equipment with which they can test water samples from Taoyuan City’s rivers and drainage channels. All of the test results are uploaded to a computer cloud and made available for public perusal. Whenever a volunteer discovers an abnormality during a patrol, an environmental department will be immediately informed for a follow-up inspection. This system has led to the uncovering of cases of discharged effluents that fail to meet standards. With the joint efforts from the government and volunteers, a noticeable improvement in water quality of rivers and in algal reef areas has been seen, and local ecosystems are gradually recovering. To reduce industrial effluent pollution – and thus improve river water quality and protect algal reefs along the coast of Taoyuan City – since April 2012 the EPA and Taoyuan City have been implementing the Taoyuan City Algal Reef Pollution Source Inspection and Control Plan. The plan covers 11 rivers, and 450 enterprises that operate within the drainage areas of these rivers are now strictly monitored and inspected. To date, a total of 8,028 inspections have been carried out, and violations have been reported on 1,211 occasions. The percentage of violations fell to 10.3 in 2016 from 33.5 in 2012. Among the 450 enterprises inspected, 21 have been ordered to suspend their operations due to major violations, and 20 have been reported to the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office for prosecution, resulting in NT$180 million in fines being levied. Environmental agencies have also been taking water samples every week at river estuaries to test for changes in pH, temperature, conductivity, and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Keeping an eye on river water quality will allow for prompt adjustments to the inspection strategy if necessary. Monitoring results show that the last four years of stringent inspections has led to a marked improvement in water quality in all of the 11 rivers in the first quarter of 2016, compared to the same period in previous years. For example, the COD in Shulin River had dropped by almost 60%. Cooperation between environmental protection agencies and local residents has also been enhanced. In addition to holding discussion meetings between residents and related governmental agencies in Taoyuan every quarter, since December 2015 the EPA has also been providing volunteers with simple water quality testing equipment that they can use to test water samples from Taoyuan City rivers. The results are uploaded onto a computer cloud with Google Maps location markers, to make the information accessible for public oversight. The immediate reporting of abnormalities by volunteers has led to the unveiling of cases of discharged effluent containing excessive amounts of pollutants. All the violations have been penalized under the Water Pollution Control Act. With the joint efforts of government and volunteers, water quality in rivers and along the coast of Taoyuan City is improving, and local ecosystems are gradually recovering from years of pollution.