台灣水資源分佈豐枯懸殊，各河川川短流急，不利水資源攔蓄，先天水文條件嚴苛；政府不斷向國人宣導「節約用水」之重要性，近年來成效漸顯，惟自來水水價近20年未調整，未能與時俱進合理反映水資源實際成本與經濟價值，長此以往，對提昇自來水品質及服務將造成隱憂；現行水價成本並未整體考量環境保護、事業經營、政策與行政層面，導致自來水事業無論在事業經營、政策推動與行政執行上產生若干問題，造成不僅在公共給水乃至整體水資源管理上的困擾，為使自來水事業能隨時代及科技之演進而進步，提供民眾量足質優之用水，厚實國家經濟發展基礎，以確保水資源之永續利用，進一步探討水價結構及其計算技術有其必要。
本計畫擬就國內水價收費方式及定價公式、大臺北地區供水與水價以及離島用水補貼與合理成本等三大分別於事業經營、政策推動、與行政執行面向的議題進行計算與研析，俾提出相關資料的調查分析結果及可行方案建議，作為後續政策推動之參考。 Water resources development in Taiwan is constrained by several natural limitations, such as uneven distribution in precipitations, and rivers with short reaches and high flow velocities. Such challenges have prompted the government to promote water conservation through public education. Despite water conservation objectives are gradually being realized in recent years, water resources remain overly exploited because the price the public pays for water does not reflect the scarcity value of water, nor the full costs of water services. The neglect of environmental costs has resulted in high environmental externalities. While the revenues from water charges fall short of the costs of meeting environmental regulations and government policy requirements, water utilities face financial constraints in improving service quality and adopting innovative technologies. Both the financial sustainability of water service provision and the environmental sustainability of water resources management both call for water pricing reform.
For this project, the research will be focused on the areas of 1. Water pricing method and formula, 2. Water supply and pricing of Taipei metropolitan area, and 3. Government subsidies and reasonable water provision costs for the outlying islands of Taiwan. Based on the analysis of relevant data and research results, recommendations about water utilities management, policy implementations, and government administrations will then be proposed.
