The Environmental Management Administration (EMA) of the Ministry of Environment held a review meeting on June 24 at the Guanyin Industrial Park Service Center for the "Taoyuan Algal Reef Pollution Source Inspection and Control Plan." During the meeting, the EMA, Taoyuan City Department of Environmental Protection, and the joint service centers of Guanyin, Dayuan, Zhongli, and Taoyuan industrial parks under the Ministry of Economic Affairs shared their achievements over the past six months in controlling pollution in the waters around Taoyuan's algal reef areas. Government agencies such as Taoyuan City's Departments of Economic Development, Agriculture, and Land Administration, as well as environmental groups, were invited to exchange opinions on environmental governance issues related to the Taoyuan algal reefs.
According to the EMA, the origins of this inspection plan date back to September 2012, when it began supervising and inspecting high-pollution-risk businesses along 11 key rivers in Taoyuan. Since then, river water quality has seen clear improvements. As an example, Nankan River is a major river in Taoyuan spanning 30.73 km with a watershed area of 214.67 km² and an estuary near the Shalun algal reef. The high density of factories along its banks means there is a heavy pollution load that severely affects the reef ecosystem. In 2013, the concentration of copper, a heavy metal, in the Nankan River was 0.09 mg/L; by 2024, this had dropped to 0.03 mg/L, gradually meeting the water quality standards.
The inspection plan continuously monitors river water quality and adapts inspection and control strategies accordingly. In addition to manual sampling at river estuaries, advanced technologies such as automated water quality monitoring systems and AI-powered water pollution image surveillance devices have been installed in key areas. These systems allow for 24/7 real-time monitoring of river water color and quality, helping identify and narrow down pollution hotspots and trace sources. In the past five years, such monitoring has led to criminal investigations involving six gravel yards and factories that were prosecuted and ordered to repay over NT$8 billion in illicit gains. In terms of regulation, in 2018 a quantity control policy for heavy metals was implemented for the Nankan River, coupled with intensified inspections, resulting in significant water quality improvement.
During the implementation of this project, environmental groups have repeatedly praised the EMA and Taoyuan Department of Environmental Protection for their long-term efforts in preserving the algal reef ecosystem. Notably, the once common "red seas," "black seas," and "rainbow-colored streams" have become rare. Wild oysters found in the past, often green due to pollution, are now uncommon. With cooperation between prosecutors, police, and environmental protection authorities, notorious polluters including unscrupulous gravel yards and factories along the coast have been successfully prosecuted, bringing notable clarity back to the environment. Industrial park service centers have also played a supportive role by assisting factories in compliance and helping environmental authorities conduct inspections, leading to healthier rivers and seas.
The EMA said that it will continue to collaborate with local environmental groups through alliances and mutual support, promoting public-private cooperation to jointly protect the ecological environment. It also plans to use the latest water quality monitoring technologies to combat environmental crimes more efficiently and prevent unscrupulous operators from destroying the algal reef ecosystem.