Mayor’s Remarks:
1. This winter (2026) has seen little rainfall, and precipitation this spring has also been below the historical average. Water storage levels in Tainan City’s reservoirs have fallen below 50 percent, indicating that the dry season has clearly begun. The City’s daily domestic water demand is approximately 1 million tons, while the first rice crop requires an estimated 150–200 million tons of water, placing additional pressure on available water supplies. Looking back at the once-in-a-century droughts of 2021 and 2023, rainfall did not begin until around late May or early June. We should therefore make advance preparations for a range of water-saving response measures. All bureaus and departments are requested to begin studying and formulating water conservation measures as early as possible and to review situations in which reclaimed water may be used. For the routine irrigation of roadside trees and hedges, the Environmental Protection Bureau is requested to use reclaimed water and submit an implementation plan to senior city government leadership for reference. The Water Resources Bureau has completed preparations for seven large-scale reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment units. The Bureau is requested to consult with senior city government leadership as soon as possible to plan appropriate locations and circumstances for their deployment.
2. Ensuring that residents do not face shortages of water or electricity is an important issue for both the central and local governments. Recently, sharp increases in oil prices are also expected to drive up natural gas prices. Although the central government has announced that part of the price increase will be absorbed by the government and relevant enterprises and institutions, local governments should take the lead in implementing water- and energy-saving measures within their respective areas of responsibility. All bureaus and departments are requested to make advance plans and preparations in response.
3. With regard to the report titled “Immediate Measures of the City Government in Response to Rising Oil Prices Resulting from Changes in the Situation in the Middle East,” Deputy Secretary-General Lin and the Economic Development Bureau are requested to examine additional energy-saving measures that the City may further strengthen and implement, ways to promote and encourage energy conservation in the private sector, and approaches to subsidizing small business operators. The Education Bureau is also requested to evaluate the feasibility of installing automatic transfer switches (ATS) in schools.
Reports
1. The Environmental Protection Bureau submitted a report on "Food Waste Treatment Strategies and Facility Improvement and Optimization" (refer to written sources for details).
Resolution: Filed for reference.
Mayor’s Comments:
(1) Because Tainan City has banned the use of food waste for pig feeding, an additional approximately 60 tons of food waste must be processed each day. To increase processing capacity, the City has adopted measures, such as high-speed fermentation plants and biological treatment machines. As a result, Tainan City has achieved better results than other cities and counties in implementing the ban on using food waste for pig feeding. All bureaus and departments are expected to work toward reducing food waste within their respective areas of responsibility. Efforts should focus on reducing food waste at the source through measures, such as separating raw and cooked food waste and strengthening raw food waste reduction at traditional markets, restaurants, schools, and institutional food service providers. The Environmental Protection Bureau, Agriculture Bureau, Education Bureau, and other relevant bureaus are requested to strengthen their efforts.
(2) An outbreak of African swine fever occurred last year (2025). Fortunately, it did not spread further or cause losses to the industry. Nevertheless, food waste management remains an important issue for the City Government, and all bureaus and departments are requested to continue working together on this matter.
(3) As there are discrepancies between information held by certain councilors and the data provided by the Environmental Protection Bureau, the Bureau is requested to issue a press release as soon as possible to clarify the matter and prevent public opinion from being guided in the wrong direction by media reports.
2. The Indigenous Peoples Commission submitted a report titled “2026 Pingpu Indigenous Peoples Cultural Festival: ‘Gathering in Light and Shadow—A Feast of Music and Dance’” (refer to written sources for details).
Resolution: Filed for reference.
Mayor’s Comments:
(1) Promoting the preservation and development of Pingpu Indigenous culture is an important responsibility of the Tainan City Government. This initiative has been advanced over the years, from the tenure of former Tainan County Mayor Su, through the period when President Lai served as Mayor of Tainan, and up to the present. During his tenure as mayor, President Lai took the lead in recognizing the Pingpu as “city-designated Indigenous Peoples,” a move that was significant both symbolically and substantively.
(2) The event will be held on April 3rd and 4th at the plaza in front of the Performance Hall of the Xinying Cultural Center and along the Green River Corridor. The Indigenous Peoples Commission is requested to plan the site layout and visitor flow carefully and enrich the event program so as to attract more residents and others interested in Indigenous cultures to participate, and to make the festival a major highlight among the City’s Indigenous cultural events.