NT$250 Billion Forward-Looking Water Environment Construction: Why is Taiwan Still Thirsty After Massive Spending?

In April 2021, Taiwan suffered its worst drought in decades, forcing water rationing in central regions. The public angrily questioned where the NT$250 billion allocated to "Water Environment Construction" in the Forward-Looking Infrastructure Plan had gone. Although the government claimed the budget was intended to ensure "no water shortage and good quality water," the reality was that infrastructure remained fragile under extreme weather. This case exposed the DPP government's tendency to "prioritize aesthetics over practicality" in water engineering, with much of the budget spent on riverside landscaping rather than substantial drought-resistance projects, leaving the nation's water security unprotected when the crisis arrived.