Yongin City Partners with Korea Rural Community Corporation to Improve Reservoir Water Quality

Establishing a Cooperative System to Remove Green Algae from Giheung, Idong, and Yongdam Reservoirs
Lee Sang-il: "We Will Actively Cooperate to Manage Reservoir Water Quality"

Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province has joined hands with the Korea Rural Community Corporation to improve the water quality of reservoirs within the jurisdiction, including Giheung Lake.

On the 24th, Yongin City announced on the 25th that it signed a business agreement with the Pyeongtaek-Anseong branch of the Korea Rural Community Corporation in the mayor's reception room to manage the water quality of Giheung, Idong, and Yongdam reservoirs. The signing ceremony was attended by Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin, Kim Guk-hyun, Director of the Pyeongtaek branch of the Korea Rural Community Corporation, and Hong Soon-bin, Head of Water Resources Management at the Anseong branch of the Korea Rural Community Corporation.

Hong Soon-bin, Head of Water Resources Management Department at Anseong Branch of Korea Rural Community Corporation (from the left), Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin, and Kim Guk-hyun, Head of Pyeongtaek Branch of Korea Rural Community Corporation, are holding the agreement documents at the signing ceremony for improving water quality of three reservoirs in the Yongin area. Photo by Yongin City

Giheung Reservoir in Gosae-dong, Giheung-gu, and Idong Reservoir in Eobi-ri, Idong-eup, Cheoin-gu were constructed as agricultural reservoirs in 1963 and 1974, respectively. Yongdam Reservoir in Saam-ri, Wonsam-myeon, Cheoin-gu was also created as an agricultural reservoir in 1978. Currently, Giheung and Idong reservoirs are managed by the Pyeongtaek branch of the Korea Rural Community Corporation, while Yongdam Reservoir is managed by the Anseong branch.

This agreement aims for the two organizations to cooperate for the stable supply of agricultural water, water quality improvement, and efficient management of the three reservoirs. According to the agreement, the city and the Rural Community Corporation will share water quality change status through regular monitoring of the reservoirs and cooperate to remove green algae by opening reservoir sluices within a range that does not interfere with farming. The city will consult with the corporation on the timing and amount of green algae removal agents to promptly eliminate green algae, and both organizations will jointly collect and dispose of floating debris in the reservoirs.

Mayor Lee said, "If both organizations cooperate by playing their best roles in advance through this agreement, it will greatly help reservoir management," adding, "The city will actively support maintaining clean water quality in the reservoirs."

Director Kim said, "Due to changes in the surrounding environment, reservoirs now serve a greater function as recreational spaces in addition to supplying agricultural water," and added, "This agreement will have significant meaning in revitalizing the function of reservoirs as recreational spaces."