Jeonnam Province to Launch Yeongsan River Water Quality Improvement in Honam

Expansion of Environmental Infrastructure to Suppress Algal Blooms
Naju Stream Restoration Project Underway to Address Water Quality Deterioration

Scenery of Yeongsan River. Provided by Jeonnam Province

Jeollanam-do will invest 173.3 billion won this year in projects to improve the water quality of the Yeongsan River, focusing on expanding environmental infrastructure and systematically managing sources of water pollution from tributaries and streams flowing into the river, as well as suppressing the occurrence of algal blooms in the lower reaches.

Specifically, 168.3 billion won will be allocated to environmental infrastructure, including the construction and expansion of sewage treatment plants, maintenance of sewage pipelines, and expansion of public livestock manure treatment facilities, to improve the water quality of the Yeongsan River.

In addition, 4 billion won will be invested in ecological river restoration projects, such as creating ecological riverbanks and planting aquatic vegetation, to improve water quality and restore the self-purification capacity of rivers that have been maintained mainly for flood control.

To prevent riverbank waste from flowing into the Yeongsan River in advance, 1 billion won will be invested in river and estuary waste cleanup projects with the participation of local residents. Administrative efforts will also be concentrated on operating the Yeongsan River environmental cleanup vessel to collect floating waste brought in from upstream during heavy rains and debris (such as discarded nets and driftwood) accumulated on the riverbed.

Continuous efforts to improve water quality have maintained the upstream section of the Yeongsan River at a 'good' level (Grade 1, BOD 2mg/L or less), but some sections have deteriorated to a 'moderate' level (Grades 3?4) as the river passes through Gwangju and Naju.

Accordingly, efforts will be focused on water quality improvement projects such as the Naju Stream ecological river restoration project.

Jeollanam-do also plans to strengthen governance by promoting mutual cooperation in responding to increasingly frequent droughts and floods due to climate change, improving Yeongsan River water quality, securing water flow, making proposals to the central government, and discussing the formation and operation of administrative councils among local governments in the watershed to address key issues such as co-prosperity, restoration of the river's natural state, and more.

Since non-point source pollution from agriculture and livestock accounts for more than 60% of all pollution in the Yeongsan River basin, Jeollanam-do plans to apply to the government to designate the Naju area, which has a high contribution rate to non-point source pollution, as a non-point pollution management area.

Park Jongpil, Director of Environment and Forest Affairs of Jeollanam-do, said, "The Yeongsan River is an important resource for Jeollanam-do, and we will do our best to ensure it becomes a clean and healthy river."