Jeong Jang-seon, Mayor of Pyeongtaek, "Designate Pyeongtaekho as a Priority Management Reservoir to Improve Water Quality"

"Grand Decision to Lift Water Source Protection Zones in Key Government Projects"
"Decreasing Water Will Be Supplied to Citizens by Receiving 150,000 Tons from Paldang Lake"

Jeong Jang-seon, mayor of Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province, expressed his determination to ensure that there will be no environmental pollution or other issues through thorough water quality management despite the partial lifting of the Songtan water source protection zone.

On the 17th, Mayor Jeong stated in a press briefing, "The city could not unconditionally oppose the government's core project involving the lifting of the water source protection zone," adding, "The government decided to lift the designation on a magnanimous basis under the condition that it takes responsibility for water quality preservation."

Jeong Jang-seon, Mayor of Pyeongtaek (second from the right), is explaining the background of the partial lifting of the Songtan water source protection area during a press briefing on the 17th.
[Photo by Pyeongtaek City]

Pyeongtaek, the authority proposing the lifting of the Songtan water source protection zone, agreed on the same day with the government and related agencies to lift 64.432㎢ of the Songtan water source protection zone in the area of Namsa-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin, to facilitate the early establishment of the Yongin Idong-Namsa Advanced System Semiconductor National Industrial Complex. As a result, 1.4 million square meters of land, which had been restricted as a water source protection zone and thus unavailable for factory sites within the planned semiconductor industrial complex, was freed from regulations and became available for development.

Mayor Jeong explained that during the negotiation process for this lifting, it was agreed to designate Pyeongtaek Lake as a "priority management reservoir." A "priority management reservoir" is a reservoir for which the Ministry of Environment establishes and implements water quality improvement measures to provide the public with drinking water as well as tourism and leisure functions, according to the Water Environment Conservation Act.

Mayor Jeong said, "The goal is to improve the water quality of Pyeongtaek Lake from grade 4 to grade 3 through the designation as a priority management reservoir," adding, "Water quality management will be further strengthened from the upper reaches of Jinwi Stream and Anseong Stream to Pyeongtaek Lake."

The 15,000 tons of tap water shortage caused by lifting the water source protection zone will be resolved by supplying 150,000 tons of raw water from Paldang Lake. This volume is part of the raw water allocated to Samsung Electronics' 5th and 6th production lines.

Mayor Jeong emphasized that a comprehensive development project for residents will also be prepared. He elaborated, "The government has agreed to support the complex development project from Mubongsan Training Center to Jinwi Amusement Park," and added, "We will prepare an eco-friendly development plan for regional development, including residential, cultural, and industrial complexes."

Mayor Jeong stated, "We will closely cooperate with the government and related agencies to ensure that the win-win development agreement signed this time is faithfully implemented."