Taichung City Government is promoting urban renewal at old districts with great efforts and the pollution remediation and environment improvement of Liouchuan River is one major undergoing construction and is due to be available by the end of the year. City Government stated that this is the first low impact development (LID) scenic riverbank of Taiwan and is being recognized by Public Construction Golden Quality Award. It is equipped with flood control functions, water quality improvements and a water access space. Vice Mayor Lin Ling-san visited the site of November 9th, recognized the hard effort of the construction team, and thanked local borough chiefs to give up traffic lanes in order to add water access walkways, allowing the citizens to have a recreational attraction.

“Liouchuan River Pollution Remediation and Environment Improvement Construction” is 4 km. long and has the total budget of NT$370 million. The first phase construction dealt with the upstream section (from Chongde Liou Bridge to Zhongzheng Liou Bridge) in which sewage interception construction and the establishment of Zhonghua Gravel Water Purification Plant were both done by the end of 2015. The second phase construction deals with the downstream section (Zhongzheng Liou Bridge to Nantun Liou Bridge) in which a 300-meter scenic environment construction is under and is about to be completed.

After reformation, there are already much fish fry inside the waters of Liouchuan River and many damselflies glide between the riverbanks. The Water Resource Bureau chose to plant aquatic grasses that are conducive to water quality improvement by the riverbanks and many large stones are placed among the rivers for large birds to rest, demonstrating eco-friendly features.

Vice Mayor Lin highly recognized the efforts of the construction unit after his visit, and thanked borough chiefs for helping to communicate with local residents in giving up traffic lanes to add water access walkway. As for the flood control function of Liouchuan River, an issue that citizens care the most, it utilizes a composite drainage system. Besides its surface channel, there are three culvert pipes under the riverbanks and has no drainage problems. In addition, he reminded the Water Resource Bureau to resurface the surrounding roads after construction in order to add parking spaces to cope with the number of visitors.

Director Chou Ting-chang of the Water Resource Bureau stated that Liouchuan River is connected with many attractions at Central District. Therefore, after the completion of its scenic construction, Taichung City will also possess a beautiful river with those like Cheonggyecheon of Seoul, Seine of Paris and Kamogawa of Kyoto. To improve the current water quality of Liouchuan River, the Water Resource Bureau conducted sewage interception, gravel oxidation and cleanout constructions in prior, and the domestic sewage purified by Zhonghua Water Purification Plant will then be discharged into the LID river bank space.

To make Liouchuan River more water accessible and flood proof, the Water Resource Bureau spread the original concrete protection of Zhongzheng Liou Bridge and Minquan Liou Bridge to its sides by 8 meter, converted them into gentle slope-type constructions, and introduced LID methods in which the bottom of the channel is paved with random rubbles and using water tanks, rain gardens, permeable pavement so that the surface water can penetrate into the soil and create a breathing river.

As for the sceneries, the Water Resource Bureau planted Formosan gums, golden trumpet trees, flamegold and other plantations in three different sections. After a few years, seasonal plantation features can be seen along the riverbank. Besides the construction of the riverbank sceneries, the four bridges of Zhongzheng Liou Bridge, Zhongzhan Liou Bridge, Minzu Liou Bridge and Minquan Liou Bridge will be refurbished in accordance to the overall scenery and the image of “willow leaf”. In the future, there will be blue lightings along the riverbank, creating a romantic atmosphere.

The completed Liouchuan River will collaborate with cultural and historical attractions along the way, such as Taichung Literature Museum, the Fifth Market, Lin Chih-chu Memorial and others, to create a sparkling culture & art walkway of Central District and become the new tourism spotlight of Taichung City. The gravel water purification observation corridor of Zhonghua Water Purification Plant and the riverbank environment can serve as the best location for environment education, allowing citizens to actually experience the importance of water recycling.