Gyeonggi Province will deploy high-performance drones and other scientific monitoring equipment to oversee the Hantan River watershed.
From the 8th to the 16th of this month, Gyeonggi Province announced that it will form a joint inspection team with the Hangang River Basin Environmental Office, four cities/counties including Dongducheon, Pocheon, Yangju, and Yeoncheon, as well as private experts, to conduct focused inspections on a total of 30 sites. These include wastewater discharge facilities such as textile and leather factories suspected of polluting the Hantan River, and public sewage treatment plants.
The inspection will utilize equipment such as high-performance drones and thermal imaging cameras to monitor water quality throughout the Hantan River and check for illegal wastewater discharge in hard-to-access areas. Additionally, the operation and management status of public sewage treatment facilities and compliance with water quality standards will be thoroughly examined.
The main inspection items include ▲whether water pollution prevention facilities are operating normally ▲installation and operation of unauthorized wastewater discharge facilities ▲proper management of outsourced wastewater ▲working status of environmental managers and whether operation logs are maintained. Compliance with discharge standards for the final treated effluent will also be verified.
Gyeonggi Province plans to take follow-up actions such as ordering facility improvements, imposing fines, filing criminal charges, and public disclosure on the internet for businesses found violating regulations. Furthermore, for environmentally vulnerable businesses identified during this inspection, Gyeonggi Province will provide consulting on facility improvements and operational methods, and support repair or replacement costs for aging treatment facilities if necessary.
Kim Sang-cheol, Director of the Climate and Environment Management Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Through joint inspections, we plan to thoroughly check pollution sources within the Hantan River watershed," adding, "We hope this will provide an opportunity to more securely protect the Hantan River, a precious natural resource in northern Gyeonggi, by offering technical advice and facility replacement cost support to small businesses."
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