Controversy over the lack of water continues to rage on in Yunlin. The environmental protection group is accusing local irrigation association of violating the law by selling water for industrial use. In addition, they say that the Water Resources Agency has failed to look into the case, by blaming the farmers for the water shortage.

The water resources agency has done all it could to maximize the water resource of the Chuo Shui creek to let 93% of the water go to agriculture usage, but farmers are claiming that is not enough and still need to pump out underground water.

Scholars pointed out that, Yunglin has always had the problem of water shortages, which cannot provide farmers with year-round irrigation while environmental protection groups pointed out that Formosa sixth Naphtha industrial area use large supply of water in the area, which violates the regulation of water resources that the priority should go to agricultural usage over industrial usage, industrial usage can only use the excessive water supply left over from agricultural sector.

But in the time of water shortage year round, Yunlin and Changhua water resources associations still would sell water to Ministry of Economic Affairs Industrial Development Bureau and off-shore islands industrial sectors, earning an additional transfer fee of NT$ 220 million.

As to the situation, the Water Resources Agency said that it is not its problem and the right of the water is in control of the Council of Agriculture, which made a response that only the excessive water supply was sold to the ID bureau.

The response angered the environmental protection groups, saying that the farmers are suffering because big corporations are taking all the water the farmers need for irrigation purpose.