"Just Following the Law Can Save as Much Water as Four Paldang Dams Annually"

[Interview] Song Gongsuk, CEO of Watos Korea (Chairman of Korea Bathroom Materials Industry Cooperative)
"Mandatory Installation of Water-Saving Devices Should Be Promoted, Supervision and Enforcement Must Begin"
"Efforts to Save Water Are Disappointing When Criticized as 'Creating Regulations'... It's Better to Follow Existing Laws Well Than to Make New Ones"

Song Gongseok, CEO of Watos Korea. / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Incheon=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] "Just by following the law properly, we can save as much water annually as the Paldang Dam."

This is the opening statement of Song Gong-seok (70), CEO of Watos Korea (Chairman of the Korea Bathroom Materials Industry Cooperative). He expressed regret that water that could be saved is being wasted because the revised Water Supply Act, which came into effect on February 18, is not being properly enforced. According to Article 15 of the revised Water Supply Act, water-saving devices must be installed in buildings under the Building Act, lodging businesses, bathhouses, sports facilities, public restrooms, and so on. When manufacturing or importing water-saving devices for sale domestically, the water-saving grade must be indicated. Violations can result in fines of up to 5 million won.

Song claims that if 23 million toilets nationwide installed in public places, each using 6 liters per flush, are replaced with grade 1 water-saving toilets that use 4 liters per flush, it would save 1 billion tons of water annually, which is the effective annual volume of the Paldang Dam.

However, the reality is abnormal. The law, which must be strictly observed, is not being followed, and the public is unaware that such a law has even been enacted. Song said, "Three months have passed since the law was enforced, but the government has neither cracked down nor even grasped the actual situation."

In fact, when Watos Korea employees recently inspected toilets in newly constructed or occupied nearby government office buildings, they found toilets still using more than 10 liters per flush, and no water-saving grade was indicated. Despite this, the buildings received completion permits, and even two months after completion, the administrative authorities have not once provided guidance or enforcement.

The revised Water Supply Act has become controversial from the moment it was implemented, especially after a legislative oversight was discovered that excludes open restrooms in places like subways or supermarkets from the category of ‘public restrooms.’ Song argued, "The government should inform the public about the mandatory installation of water-saving toilets through public service advertisements and entrust private or affiliated organizations to conduct surveys, guidance, and enforcement actions." He added, "For open restrooms used by many people, the law should be amended later to include them within the scope of application."

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of Watos Korea’s founding. Watos Korea is a specialized manufacturer of toilets and bathroom parts, with sales of 20 billion won last year. Their flagship product is an ultra-water-saving toilet that uses only 4 liters per flush. Watos Korea explains that if the Water Supply Act is properly followed and major construction companies begin incorporating this product into apartment designs, a market worth over 8 trillion won will open up.

Song, who has volunteered as a water-saving evangelist, said, "The replacement cost with water-saving devices can be recovered in three years through saved water bills, and replacing one toilet creates the effect of employing one person." He also confessed, "It is disappointing when efforts to save water are disparaged as ‘creating regulations.’" He emphasized, "Starting with government offices and public institutions switching to water-saving devices will lead the private sector to follow. Rather than constantly making new laws, we should properly enforce the existing ones first."