Typhoon Koinu wreaked havoc on Orchid Island, southwest of the main island of Taiwan. On October 6, Tzu Chi relief workers Yang Ting-yuan (楊廷元) and Chen Yi-Chien (陳誼謙) visited the island to conduct a disaster assessment and provide assistance. They discovered that, in addition to a shortage of oil and food, an urgent issue facing the local population was a lack of clean drinking water.
Tzu Chi has had a long-term collaboration with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) of Taiwan to develop water purification equipment. On October 7, the Taitung County Social Affairs Department reached out to the Foundation and said that a cargo ship was scheduled to depart for Orchid Island on the evening of the 8th. They hoped that Tzu Chi could supply UVC water purification equipment to support the island.
On receiving this information from Tzu Chi volunteer Luo Ting-Hsien (羅庭茜), Mr. Lu Hsueh-Cheng (呂學正) of Tzu Chi's Department of Charity and Development promptly coordinated the transport of UVC water purification equipment from Tzu Chi's Yunlin Office and Taoyuan Zhongli Campus to Taitung by train. The goal was to deliver this equipment to the cargo ship bound for Orchid Island and thereby immediately address the need for clean drinking water among the island's residents. Thanks to the rapid response of the volunteers, the equipment reached the ship on time for its journey to the island.
According to Tzu Chi disaster assessment by volunteer Chen Yi-Chien from Orchid Island, most residents have access to tap water or mountain spring water. But the impact of Typhoon Koinu caused water pipes to be buried or damaged. As a result, some households can only use tap water or mountain spring water after boiling it, while others have no access to either and have to rely on neighbors for water. Furthermore, some residents with tap water still face water scarcity due to power outages that affect water pumps. Additionally, post-typhoon mountain spring water often shows turbidity, making it unsafe to drink.
Mr. Lu Hsueh-Cheng pointed out that the two UVC water purification devices were jointly developed by Tzu Chi and ITRI. They utilize ultrafiltration technology to remove impurities, colloids, organics, and polymers. They also employ ultraviolet light for sterilization, effectively eliminating harmful microorganisms such as E. coli, and ensuring that the purified water meets high-quality drinking water standards. These devices have a high water production capacity, capable of generating 7.2 metric tons of water daily, which can serve up to 2,400 people. This emergency supply aims to alleviate the water quality and quantity issues caused by the contamination and shortages on Orchid Island as a result of Typhoon Koinu.
Currently, there are two water purification devices in place—one at Orchid Island High School and the other at the Hong-Tou Community Development Association. Both are providing clean drinking water to the residents of the island.
A Jing Si Aphorism says: “Even though we have no relationships with other living beings, their suffering is our suffering, and their pain is our pain. When their bodies hurt, my heart worries. When their bodies are wounded, my heart feels the pain. This is called ‘great compassion for all.’”
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