Only 6 % of wastewater was treated via a modern system, and large numbers of pig farms were packed in along the upstream sections of the Love (Ai) and Chienchen Rivers, not to mention the astonishing density of chemical and petrochemical plants in Kaohsiung. It was impossible for anyone in the city to drink the water with peace of mind, and the Love River was literally lifeless.
污水下水道鋪設率低，前鎮河以及愛河上游養豬戶密佈，加上規模驚人的重化工業，人在高雄，喝水不能安心，愛河一片死寂。