"Tap Water Temperature Feels Strange": Surge in Complaints Leads to On-Site Investigation

Tap Water in Jeonnam Jangheung Reaches Nearly 31 Degrees Celsius
Ongoing Heatwave Triggers Surge in Complaints
On-Site Inspections Find No Issues with Water Quality

As the prolonged heatwave continues, cases of tap water temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius have been reported in rural areas of Jeonnam, causing growing inconvenience for local residents.

According to Yonhap News on the 18th, Jangheung County has recently received a series of complaints that "tap water is too hot." On-site inspections revealed that in one village in Busan-myeon, the tap water temperature reached nearly 31 degrees Celsius. Although no abnormalities in water quality were found, residents are reportedly experiencing significant discomfort in their daily lives due to the high temperature of the tap water.

Due to the heatwave, complaints have been continuously received in rural areas of Jeonnam that "tap water is too hot." Pixabay

In particular, residents have complained that when showering or washing dishes, they are forced to keep fans running or collect water in advance and wait for it to cool before use, due to the high water temperature. One resident said, "Even after working in the fields, when I come home to wash, the water is so hot that I'm at risk of heat-related illness," adding, "No matter how hot it is outside, if the tap water is this hot, how can anyone wash properly?"

Typically, water from purification plants in the summer is around 17 to 18 degrees Celsius. However, during the peak of summer, the buried water pipes are heated by geothermal energy due to the heatwave, causing the temperature of tap water to rise. In addition, unlike urban areas where water usage is high, rural areas with fewer households experience faster increases in water temperature because water remains stagnant in the pipes for extended periods. Furthermore, in older homes, the shallow depth at which water pipes are buried exposes them more directly to summer heat, which has also been identified as a major cause.

This phenomenon is not limited to Jangheung, but is also occurring in other regions such as Yeosu and Namhae in Gyeongnam. Similar complaints have been continuously received in these areas, including "the water is not cold" and "the tap water is lukewarm."

Currently, waterworks offices in Jangheung County and other local governments are taking temporary measures by discharging large amounts of stagnant water from pipes to lower the water temperature. However, since there are limits to how long water can be discharged, they plan to identify the exact causes and establish fundamental solutions. An official from Jangheung County stated, "As this summer's heatwave continues for an extended period, residents are experiencing ongoing inconvenience due to the high temperature of tap water," adding, "We will work with the Korea Water Resources Corporation to investigate the causes and develop countermeasures."