00:00Water. It's the source of much of Taiwan's natural beauty. But Taiwan's water usage
00:08is also a major challenge. In 2022, Taipei households used more water per capita than
00:14any other capital city in the world. And water is also crucial for Taiwan's most important
00:20industry, semiconductors. Chip factories are the largest source of industrial water usage
00:28in Taiwan. They also produce vast amounts of waste water, containing elements such
00:33as cobalt, copper and hydrofluoric acid. Taiwan's largest chip maker, TSMC, says it's working
00:40to improve its waste water recycling, even at a cost.
00:44The Shenzhou Science Park, where TSMC is headquartered, say they too are working to
01:01improve standards.
01:13The country's Environment Ministry is also looking for ways to make better use of waste
01:17water.
01:24Taiwan's water consumption is only expected to increase over the next few years, as officials
01:30and industries attempt to find a balance between conservation and economic growth.
01:35John Su and Chris Gorin for Taiwan Plus.
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