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Busan Metropolitan City Water Authority Launches Full-Scale Modernization Project for Aging Water Treatment Plants

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The Busan Metropolitan City Water Authority announced that it will promote a modernization project introducing an “ultra-advanced water treatment process” at four aging water treatment plants to provide citizens with safer and cleaner tap water in a stable manner and to transform Busan’s water management system into a future-oriented model.

In response to climate change, the Authority will strengthen measures against trace contaminants in raw water from the Nakdong River, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and will move forward in earnest with the modernization project to gradually improve and upgrade treatment processes at aging water treatment plants that have been in operation for more than 40 years.

The “ultra-advanced water treatment process” refers to an advanced purification process that removes even trace contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are difficult to eliminate through conventional advanced treatment processes using ozone and activated carbon alone.

In particular, the project plans to introduce membrane filtration technology, one of the ultra-advanced treatment methods, to complement the limitations of existing conventional and advanced treatment processes and to secure stable and consistent removal performance for trace contaminants and dissolved substances. This is expected to enable the effective removal of trace contaminants starting from the raw water stage, thereby allowing for the supply of even safer tap water.

A total of KRW 2.57 trillion will be invested in the project, which focuses on improving the treatment processes of four aging water treatment plants in Busan Metropolitan City—Deoksan, Hwamyeong, Myeongjang, and Beomeosa—through five phases by 2050.

To ensure a stable water supply to citizens even during plant reconstruction, the project will be implemented in five stages: Phase 1 will prioritize the introduction of a circulation (industrial water) treatment plant; Phase 2 will cover Hwamyeong Water Treatment Plant by treatment line; Phases 3 and 4 will address Beomeosa and Deoksan Water Treatment Plants by treatment line; and Phase 5 will focus on Myeongjang Water Treatment Plant.

During the renovation period of each plant, stable operations without production stoppages will be ensured through support supplies from circulation (industrial water) treatment plants and neighboring water treatment facilities.

Once the “Aging Water Treatment Plant Modernization Project” is completed, the city expects to achieve a stable supply of high-quality tap water that citizens can drink with confidence, enhanced proactive response capabilities to climate change and water quality incidents, and increased management efficiency through smart operations.

With the introduction of the ultra-advanced water treatment process, the removal performance for trace contaminants will be strengthened, and more stable and uniform water quality can be secured regardless of fluctuations in raw water quality, making it possible to produce high-quality tap water.

In addition, by introducing an artificial intelligence-based water treatment plant operation system alongside the ultra-advanced treatment process, a foundation will be established to analyze and manage raw water quality changes and operational data in real time. This will enable early detection of anomalies and proactive responses through advance warnings regarding potential contaminant inflows or water quality deterioration.

The city plans to proceed with the project after incorporating it into the Busan Metropolitan City Water Supply Maintenance Plan, and will also make every effort to secure national funding through continued cooperation with the central government and strategic responses.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “Water is the lifeline of our citizens, and providing clean and safe tap water is the most basic and highest-priority responsibility of city administration,” adding, “The Aging Water Treatment Plant Modernization Project is not a simple facility repair, but a core initiative that enhances public trust and transforms Busan’s water management system into a future-oriented model through a systematic overhaul and smart transformation of the entire water treatment process. We will do our utmost to ensure that citizens can always use tap water with confidence.”