Pyeongtaek Lake in Gyeonggi Province has been designated as a key management reservoir by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, making it eligible for priority support from national subsidy programs.
Pyeongtaek Lake is a large reservoir with a total storage capacity of approximately 100 million tons. It was constructed in 1973 with the primary purposes of flood control and supplying agricultural water.
However, due to rapid urban development and the expansion of industrial complexes in recent years, the inflow of untreated sewage, industrial wastewater, and non-point source pollutants has increased, causing the water quality to deteriorate to an average level of Grade 4 based on Total Organic Carbon (TOC) standards.
Since 2019, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government has continuously applied to the Ministry of Environment for the designation of Pyeongtaek Lake as a key management reservoir, in cooperation with Pyeongtaek City, to improve water quality and expand eco-friendly waterfront spaces. After receiving notification of the designation plan last July, the province worked closely with South Chungcheong Province, which shares the lake, and the Korea Rural Community Corporation, the management agency. As a result, they have achieved the designation of Pyeongtaek Lake as a key management reservoir.
With this designation, Pyeongtaek Lake will receive priority support from national subsidy programs for the next five years, enabling systematic water quality improvement projects by stakeholders such as the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, Pyeongtaek City, and the Korea Rural Community Corporation.
The Gyeonggi Provincial Government plans to establish water pollution prevention and water quality improvement measures for Pyeongtaek Lake next year. By 2030, it will invest national, provincial, and municipal funds to implement water quality improvement projects, including the construction and expansion of wastewater and sewage treatment facilities, as well as non-point source pollution reduction initiatives. Through these efforts, the goal is to improve the water quality of Pyeongtaek Lake to an average level of Grade 3 (moderate) by 2030.
Yoon Deokhee, Head of the Water Resources Headquarters at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, stated, "At the beginning of this year, we plan to launch a policy research project to establish measures for improving the water environment. Based on this, we expect to secure annual budget support from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment. In addition to improving water quality at Pyeongtaek Lake, we will actively support Pyeongtaek City so that the area can become a key region fulfilling multiple functions such as promoting citizen-friendly water activities, developing local tourism resources, and restoring the ecosystem."
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