Ministry of Environment Strengthens Water Quality Management for Bottled Water and Water Purifiers
Samdasu Conducts 20,000 Annual Water Quality Tests
Random Water Quality Analysis Every 3 Hours... Comprehensive Process Management
As the government tightens regulations on bottled water, Jeju Samdasoo's meticulous quality control stands out in the bottled water market.
According to Jeju Development Corporation, which produces and sells Jeju Samdasoo, the entire process is monitored 24 hours a day to ensure that high-quality, pristine water reaches consumers without any gaps. During production, Jeju Samdasoo uniquely conducts over 20,000 water quality tests annually and random water quality analyses every three hours, maintaining a real-time monitoring system to always ensure the highest quality. Additionally, to protect the pristine water source, the company has purchased and manages land equivalent to 100 soccer fields around the water intake site. At the water intake observation station, groundwater levels, water temperature, and electrical conductivity are monitored hourly, and potential future contamination is thoroughly analyzed and managed through a water resource monitoring network.
Recently, the Ministry of Environment announced a legislative notice for amendments to the 'Drinking Water Management Act Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rules' to strengthen the management of bottled water and water purifiers. Bottled water must undergo water quality testing at designated inspection agencies under the Ministry of Environment's Drinking Water Management Act. According to the amendments to be enforced from February next year, importers and distributors will also be subject to stricter standards, equivalent to those applied to bottled water manufacturers.
The amendments impose obligations on importers and distributors to collect or dispose of bottled water that exceeds water quality standards and report this to the relevant local governments. To strengthen hygiene management of water purifiers, installation of devices near contaminated facilities such as restrooms will be prohibited, and managers will be required to conduct frequent direct inspections.
Since 2021, Jeju Development Corporation has been designated as a nationally accredited 'Drinking Water Quality Testing Agency,' conducting water quality tests on domestic groundwater and bottled water. It has passed the water quality analysis proficiency tests by the National Institute of Environmental Research every year and established a strict testing and analysis system through guidance and inspections by the Ministry of Environment. Based on this, Jeju Samdasoo has never received any administrative sanctions related to water quality since its launch in 1998. Furthermore, it has passed annual inspections by overseas accredited institutions such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, gaining global recognition for its water quality excellence and safety. Jeju Development Corporation transparently discloses quality-related test results and data on its website to build consumer trust.
Baek Kyung-hoon, CEO of Jeju Development Corporation, said, "Jeju Samdasoo conducts the most extensive water quality and quality tests in the industry to always provide consumers with 'water they can trust and drink.' As Korea’s representative bottled water, we will continue to strive to provide the highest quality Samdasoo through ongoing research and investment."
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