Taiwan industry facing water crisis

Taiwan's electronics manufacturers are facing a potential suspension of some production as soon as this month because of a lack of water.

Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park, which houses companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, now receives only 95,000 metric tons of water on a daily basis because of a local drought. The Park normally requires 120,000 tons, according to the park administrators.

Even though the companies together are buying 25,000 tons of water per day from outside of the park to help relieve the situation, concerns are growing that water will be running out soon, forcing the manufacturers to halt production.

The companies in the park shipped products worth over $16 billion worldwide in 2001, according to statistics from the park's administration.