How we’re advancing water stewardship in Taiwan

Google's water stewardship strategy goes beyond managing our own water use — we're actively working to improve watershed health in the communities where we operate. To support this, in collaboration with the Hsinchu City Government and the Taiwan Ministry of Environment, today we’re announcing a $3 million contribution to help improve water quality in Hsinchu City, Taiwan.

Supporting watershed health in Taiwan

The Xipuzi drainage, a channel feeding into Taiwan's Touqian River, is currently classified as severely polluted due to the presence of untreated domestic wastewater from areas not connected to a sewage system, reducing the available water supply in the region. To help improve water quality in the Xipuzi drainage, Google is funding a gravel contact oxidation process (GCOP) facility that is projected to treat more than 450 million gallons of water annually over a ten-year period.

GCOPs are ecological treatment systems that use gravel as a filter to remove pollutants from water. The gravel encourages the growth of biofilm, which helps break down pollutants, effectively improving water quality. The GCOP will also help benefit aquatic habitats and protect public health through reduced exposure to harmful pathogens.

By increasing water quality and supply in the Touqian River, this project will enhance the overall health and resilience of the watershed and support water security in other parts of Taiwan.

Using water efficiently

Beyond supporting watershed health projects, we are also focused on responsible use. Through our collaboration with the Taiwanese government, Google's Changhua County data center has been using non-potable industrial water for cooling since 2022.

We have also collaborated with N-Drip to fund a pilot project to install precision drip irrigation on rice fields in Changhua County. The gravity-powered drip irrigation will replace existing flood irrigation systems, helping reduce agricultural water demand and enabling farmers to save water.

These initiatives in Hsinchu City and Changhua County underscore our support for Taiwan's sustainable future and build upon our work to advance clean energy in Taiwan through offshore wind, geothermal and solar energy agreements. By supporting innovative water stewardship solutions and working closely with public and private entities, we aim to create a positive ripple effect and help build more resilient watersheds in Taiwan. We’re excited to see these projects come to fruition and look forward to sharing our progress in the months and years ahead.