We are now a couple of days into May but the long awaited plum rain still hasn't arrived yet, or at least not in as much quantity as we need. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has announced that, if precipitation in the next two weeks still fails to reach expected levels, more strict water rationing measures will have to be implemented in at least five cities and counties.

Because of the insufficient rainfall in the spring and the late arrival of the plum rain season, the water levels in many water reservoirs are dropping to around the warning line.

Counties and cities including Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung and Changhua have entered the yellow warning phase,where water pressure is reduced during the night.

If the rainfall continues to be low, Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-hsiang says the second phase of water rationing measures would be implemented in mid-May.

The first phase of water rationing would have limited effects on water for agricultural and domestic use.

But the second phase would have a big impact on industires that consume a huge amount of water, such as car wash business and swimming pool operators.

Council of Agriculture minister Chen Wu-hsiung says now it's past the watering period for paddy fields so the effect is minimum.

Since the rainfall is still insufficient,Ministry of Economic Affairs has now launched an artificial rain project,hoping to effectively alleviate the drought.