Daejeon Waterworks Headquarters Suffers Losses of Approximately 8.4 Billion Won Due to Leakage in 2024

Leakage Rate at 6%
Urgent Need for Replacement of Outdated Water Meters

Hanyoung Lee, Member of Daejeon City Council

The Daejeon Waterworks Headquarters incurred losses of approximately 8.4 billion won due to water leakage in 2024.

On November 14, Hanyoung Lee, Member of the Daejeon Metropolitan Council's Welfare and Environment Committee (Seo-gu District 6, People Power Party), highlighted the need for proactive improvements by pointing out poor management in the replacement of outdated water meters during the 2025 administrative audit of the Welfare and Environment Committee (overseeing the Waterworks Headquarters).

Assemblyman Lee raised concerns about the service life of water meters managed by the Daejeon Waterworks Headquarters, the proportion of household and small meters, and the annual replacement volume of old meters. He stated, "Neglecting to replace outdated meters can lead to billing errors and water leakage management issues," and added, "To save taxpayers' money, Daejeon City needs to systematically implement a policy for meter replacement."

As of 2024, the Daejeon Waterworks Headquarters produced a total of 226,537,000 cubic meters of water annually, of which 13,552,000 cubic meters were lost to leakage. Considering a leakage rate of 6%, the cost of water lost amounts to approximately 8.4 billion won.

Additionally, Assemblyman Lee pointed out that most complaints received by the Waterworks Headquarters are related to billing, leakage, and construction delays, with some escalating to verbal abuse or shouting. He stressed the need for effective measures to protect employees and improve the complaint response system.

Assemblyman Lee stated, "Protecting employees from malicious complaints is a fundamental organizational duty." He called for the establishment of more systematic employee protection measures, such as expanding psychological counseling support, strengthening response manuals, and introducing protective equipment and safety systems.

He further emphasized, "Accurate billing and leakage management are directly linked to citizens' daily lives. Therefore, outdated meters should be replaced with new metering systems. Only when both water infrastructure and employee protection are strengthened can we provide citizens with reliable and stable water administration."