Chungnam Province announced on the 19th that the Dangjincheon watershed has been designated as the first “Non-Point Source Pollution Management Area” under the jurisdiction of Chungnam Province by the Ministry of Environment, and that it will begin full-scale implementation of related projects.
The Ministry of Environment designates non-point source pollution management areas each year for regions that have a serious impact on residents’ health, property, and the natural ecosystem.
This year, Dangjincheon was newly designated. The target areas include Eumnae-dong, Chaeun-dong, Udo-dong, Wondang-dong, Sucheong-dong, Daedeok-dong, and Sunseong-myeon.
Non-point source pollution refers to pollutants that are washed off from wide areas such as cities, roads, farmland, mountains, and construction sites by rainwater, unlike point source pollution that originates from industrial complexes or domestic sewage facilities.
In the case of Dangjincheon, the mid-watershed target water quality (Grade 3) based on total phosphorus was exceeded for five consecutive years, and the contribution rate of non-point source pollution was found to be over 50%.
In addition, the impervious surface rate in the upstream area reached 34.4%, meeting the requirements for designation as a non-point source pollution management area.
With this designation, government subsidies for non-point source pollution reduction projects promoted by Chungnam Province will be given priority.
In particular, the government subsidy ratio will be increased from the current 50% to 70%, which is expected to accelerate project implementation.
The province plans to carry out various non-point source pollution reduction projects, such as the creation of artificial wetlands and low impact development (LID) projects, and will establish management measures and implementation plans within this year so that new projects can be reflected in 2026.
The province established a mid- to long-term non-point source pollution management plan from February 2022 to December 2023, and based on this, selected 25 priority areas for non-point source pollution management, including Dangjincheon.
The comprehensive plan includes the current status of non-point source pollution management, goal setting, selection of designation priorities, and detailed management measures for each watershed.
Kim Youngmyung, Director of the Environment and Forestry Bureau of Chungnam Province, stated, “We will systematically manage not only point source pollution but also non-point source pollution to improve the water quality of rivers in the province,” and added, “In the mid- to long-term, we will continue to expand the areas designated for non-point source pollution management.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
