Incheon Tap Water Obtains ISO 22000 International Certification... First Metropolitan City to Achieve

Incheon Bupyeong Water Purification Plant equipped with larva-blocking insect screens
[Photo provided by Incheon City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon tap water has received international certification for the Food Safety Management System (ISO 22000) from the International Organization for Standardization.

On the 8th, Incheon City announced that Mayor Park Namchun received the certificate from Song Kyungsoo, the Korea General Manager of BSI (British Standards Institution), at City Hall.

The ISO 22000 certification was awarded to four Incheon water purification plants: Gongchon, Bupyeong, Susan, and Namdong, as well as the bottled Michuholcham Water production facility.

This is the first time among the six major metropolitan cities that a water purification facility has obtained ISO 22000 certification. Other local governments with this certification include Seoul, Bucheon in Gyeonggi, and Gimhae in Gyeongnam.

ISO 22000, developed by the International Organization for Standardization, is an international standard designed to effectively manage hazards that may occur at each stage of food raw material production, manufacturing, processing, preservation, and distribution.

This international standard certification was conducted through the British Standards Institution (BSI), an accredited certification body for food safety management systems related to water supply, which completed on-site inspections of the four water purification plants last month.

Since experiencing the red tap water incident in 2019 and the tap water larvae incident in 2020, Incheon City has been promoting a water innovation project along with major facility improvements such as replacing insect-proof facilities, reinforcing activated carbon sealing, and installing larvae blocking devices.

An official from Incheon City stated, "Obtaining ISO 22000 certification means that Incheon’s tap water is internationally recognized as being produced and supplied under systematic hygiene and food safety management." He added, "We will make further efforts so that citizens can feel the improved quality of Incheon’s tap water."