Make Tainan’s Rivers Swimmable by 2030
Tainan is a city shaped by water. From the Zengwen and Yanshui Rivers to the Erren and Jishui, waterways connect our neighborhoods, culture, and future. This proposal lays out a clear path to restore water quality, reopen safe river swimming, and build a resilient blue-green network for people and nature.
Why Swimmable Rivers?
Swimmable waterways are a powerful indicator of urban liveability. When a city’s rivers are clean enough to swim, it means the entire catchment – from farms and factories to streets and wetlands – is working in harmony. Swimmable rivers make Tainan healthier, more climate resilient, more inclusive, and more attractive for families, students, and visitors.
Our 2030 Targets
- Water quality suitable for recreation at designated swim spots (E. coli geometric mean ≤ 500 CFU/100 mL; turbidity and clarity meeting local guidelines).
- Zero untreated sewage or industrial discharge into rivers during dry weather; major storm overflow events reduced by 80%.
- 50 km of restored riparian corridors with public access and shade trees.
- Annual ‘Tainan Swim Day’ with supervised test swims at 2–3 pilot sites.
How We’ll Do It
- Build smart interception and storage: capture first-flush stormwater and divert baseflow to treatment during dry periods.
- Upgrade wastewater treatment performance and monitoring; enforce industrial pre-treatment with real-time sensors.
- Deploy river plastic traps, install trash booms at key confluences, and expand upstream litter prevention.
- Restore wetlands and side channels near river mouths to polish water quality and boost biodiversity.
- Publish transparent weekly water quality dashboards and signage at future swim spots.
Charter-Aligned Principles
This proposal embraces the Swimmable Cities Charter’s values – the Right to Swim, One Health, inclusive culture, and stewardship for future generations – and turns them into practical steps for Tainan. We’ll update regulations to enable safe access, invest in resilient blue-green infrastructure, and share wellbeing benefits across communities.