Incheon City Takes Steps to Restore Trust in Tap Water... Home Visits for Water Quality Testing and Pipe Inspection

Appointment of Water Coordinators and Doctors... 'Incheon-style Water Care' Launches in Full
Same-day Test Results and Support for Aging Pipe Improvements

Incheon Bupyeong Water Purification Plant
[Photo provided by Incheon City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City will officially launch the 'Incheon-type Water Care' service, which involves visiting households directly to provide free tap water quality testing and pipe condition diagnostics.

The city's Waterworks Headquarters held a launch ceremony for the Incheon-type Water Care service on the 17th at the main auditorium of the headquarters, with about 30 members including Water Coordinators and Water Doctors, marking the start of the service.

Operated as a pilot project last year, the Incheon-type Water Care is one of the short-term innovation tasks promoted through the Waterworks Innovation Committee of Incheon City. The core of the service is the public service provided by water quality testing experts called 'Water Coordinators' and indoor pipe experts called 'Water Doctors.'

Water Coordinators visit homes directly to conduct free water quality tests on seven items including turbidity, pH, residual chlorine, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese. Comparative water quality tests are also possible for each faucet within the household.

Unlike the existing Tap Water Safety Confirmation System, where test results took more than two weeks to be known, results can now be confirmed immediately on-site.

If abnormalities are found in the test results, Water Doctors are deployed. They diagnose pipe conditions using endoscopy, and outdated facilities can be improved through the indoor pipe improvement support project.

This service will be diversified and implemented in various forms such as direct visits, collection type (non-face-to-face), and hub type, considering the COVID-19 situation.

Additionally, the Waterworks Headquarters plans to regularize tap water testing in kindergartens including daycare centers and school cafeterias using Water Coordinators and Doctors, and expand the inspection targets annually to create an environment where citizens can directly feel the safety of tap water.

Incheon City launched the Water Care project to improve tap water quality and restore public trust, learning from the red tap water incident in 2019 and the tap water larvae incident last year.

Those who wish to use the Water Care service can apply through the Water Love website (https://ilovewater.or.kr/) or the Michuhol Call Center (120).

Mayor Park Namchun stated at the Incheon-type Water Care launch ceremony, "Water Coordinators and Doctors will play an important role in alleviating citizens' concerns about tap water and restoring trust," adding, "We will do our best to promote various waterworks innovations, including the Water Care service, so that Incheon tap water can be recognized as the best in the nation."