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Busan Metropolitan City Audit Committee Establishes Measures to Ensure Safe Drinking Water Through Comprehensive Inspection of Water Reservoirs (Purification Facilities)

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Water reservoirs, as storage facilities for potable water, are a vulnerable area relying solely on the internal inspections of the Waterworks Headquarters. Recognizing the limitations, the Committee launched this special audit to identify and correct management issues and establish improvement plans.

The audit covered:

• ●The Waterworks Headquarters, which oversees construction of new reservoirs

• ●The Facility Management Office, which is responsible for maintaining the 75 existing reservoirs

• ●Focus areas: facility installation and maintenance, defect repair, and the appropriateness of contracts for works and supplies

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What is a Water Reservoir?

Water reservoirs store treated water from purification plants. Located on elevated terrains (e.g., hills), they allow gravity-fed water supply to nearby homes without the need for pumps.

[Diagram: Water Supply System – Purification Plant → Reservoir → Demand Area]

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A team of internal auditors with expertise in civil, architectural, mechanical, electrical, and landscaping fields, along with external experts including environmental specialists, conducted a comprehensive survey focused on management conditions and operational status of reservoir facilities.

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Status of Water Reservoirs (As of June 2025)

Region	No. of Reservoirs	Open	Closed	Storage Capacity (㎥)
Central	8	5	3	48,454
Goejeong	8	4	4	50,500
Eastern	12	7	5	61,075
Sasang	8	4	4	78,500
Northern	10	5	5	115,750
Deokcheon	5	1	4	20,100
Haeundae	12	5	7	100,500
Gangseo	12	0	12	71,100
Total	75	31	44	545,979

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Audit Findings Summary

The Committee identified and addressed 175 minor but significant risk factors in sanitation, mechanical/electrical, water quality, and facility areas. Most issues were promptly corrected on site during the audit.

Major Findings:

• ●Sanitation: Damaged insect screens, corroded tank lids, poor sealing

• ●Mechanical/Electrical: Inadequate safety measures, electric shock risks

• ●Water Quality: Contamination of residual chlorine tanks

• ●Facility Structure: Cracks in walls, corrosion of drainage covers

Many issues, such as aesthetically unappealing facility elements, were documented and scheduled for resolution in the second half of 2025.

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Breakdown of Deficiencies by Maintenance Area (As of February 2025)

Area	Issues Identified	Status
Sanitation	36 (20%) – Poor Sealing	Resolved
	16 (9%) – Corrosion	In Progress
Mech/Elec	9 (5%) – Shock Risk	Resolved
	33 (19%) – Poor Repair	Resolved
Water Qual.	35 (20%) – Residual Chlorination	Resolved
	17 (10%) – Auto Sensors	Resolved
Structure	14 (8%) – Cracks	Resolved
	15 (9%) – Vegetation	Resolved

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Due to growing public concern over incidents such as larva found in tap water, the Committee emphasized the importance of drinking water safety and required the creation of a tailored “Reservoir Maintenance Manual” for practical use at work sites.

The Waterworks Headquarters is currently institutionalizing this manual to ensure systematic and consistent maintenance, regardless of personnel changes, and plans to proactively prevent water quality incidents and supply safe, clean drinking water.

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Chairperson Yoon Hee-yeon of the Audit Committee stated:

“Water facilities must be not only properly maintained but also hygienically managed to supply safe and clean water to the public. The Committee will continue to concentrate its audit capabilities on areas closely related to citizens’ daily lives.”

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Additional Disciplinary Measures:
The Committee issued an institutional warning for improper maintenance of residual chlorination equipment and negligence in hygiene and safety management at water reservoirs.

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Details on Audit Results and Photos
The full audit findings can be viewed at the Busan City Audit Results Portal:

👉 www.busan.go.kr/gbinspec02

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Appendix 1: Major Incidents in Water Supply Sector and Recurrence Prevention Measures

• ●Incheon Water Quality Incident (May 2019)

• ●Larvae in Tap Water Incident (July 2020)

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Appendix 2: Key Audit Recommendations

• 1.Inadequate maintenance of residual chlorination facilities – 37 cases

• 2.Negligence in hygiene and safety management of water reservoirs – 75 cases

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[Photos of Facility Repairs and Maintenance Work]

• ●Cleaning of air vents, repainting of covers, sealing of cracks

• ●Installation of locks and drainage systems

• ●Maintenance of water level gauges and control panel cables