Kaohsiung's major source of running water comes from the Kaoping River, but agricultural pollution (both in the form of pesticides and livestock waste) and illegal dumping of garbage have seriously eroded the quality of Kaoping River water, which has received low water-quality designations for several years running.
高雄市主要飲水來自高屏溪，由於沿溪遭受畜牧汙染、農業汙染加上垃圾問題，使得高屏溪水質嚴重惡化，連續多年測定都是戊等。