Proactive Tap Water Inspection in the Era of Climate Change... 111 Water Treatment Plants Targeted

Yeongsangang River Basin Environmental Office and Experts Launch Joint Inspection
Proactive Measures Ahead of Summer Season

The Yeongsangang River Basin Environmental Office announced on the 31st that it will begin managing tap water safety ahead of the summer season. Starting April 1, a joint hygiene inspection with experts will be launched to block the possibility of the occurrence of small organisms such as larvae and to comprehensively check the overall operation of water purification plants.

This inspection will target 111 water purification plants within its jurisdiction until May 9. The main focus is to preemptively inspect areas where larvae could potentially inhabit and to comprehensively review the operation and management status of each stage of the purification process.

Aerial view of Yeongsangang River Basin Environmental Office.

Specialized water management institutions, including the Korea Water Resources Corporation Young-Seom Waterworks Support Center and the Korea Water and Wastewater Works Association, will participate in the inspection. Such regular inspections have been conducted two to three times annually since 2021. Last year, 113 facilities were inspected and improvements were made to vulnerable sites, resulting in zero incidents.

This year, not only will monitoring within purification plants and technical support for vulnerable areas be strengthened, but support will also be provided to enhance the management capabilities of on-site personnel. Commissioner Kim Youngwoo stated, "The occurrence of larvae due to the climate crisis is no longer an exceptional event," and added, "To ensure citizens can trust and drink tap water, we will strengthen on-site management with 'safety assurance' as the standard, going beyond mere accident prevention."