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Busan Metropolitan City Discusses Diversifying Water Intake Sources with National Water Management Commission Chair Kim Jwa-gwan and Civic Groups to Secure Safe Drinking Water

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that at 10:00 a.m. today, August 18, it held discussions in the City Hall protocol room with representatives of the Presidential National Water Management Commission and Busan civic groups on ways to diversify water intake sources to secure safe drinking water for Busan.

The meeting was attended by Mayor Chun Jae-soo; Kim Jwa-gwan, Chair of the National Water Management Commission; Lee Jun-kyung, Representative of Saengmyeong Geumul; Choi So-nam, Standing Representative of the Busan Malgeunmul Beomsimin Daechaekwiwonhoe; Choi Mi-kyung, President of the Busan Women's Organizations Council; and Park Jeong-hui, Representative of the Busan Women's Solidarity Council.

Participants exchanged a wide range of views on the increasingly serious problem of harmful algal blooms and projects to diversify water intake sources to secure safe drinking water for Busan.

The discussion also included various proposals on securing safe, clean water for Busan and improving water quality.

Kim Jwa-gwan, Chair of the National Water Management Commission, emphasized that, in connection with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment's current plan to diversify water intake sources with a focus on subsurface flow water, a demonstration facility should be installed in the lower reaches of the Nakdong River, where water intake is planned, so that water quality can be verified and the safety of subsurface flow water confirmed.

Chair Kim said he would work with the relevant ministries to secure additional funding for the installation of a subsurface flow water demonstration facility in the lower reaches of the Nakdong River near Busan, in conjunction with the related study that the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment plans to undertake next year. He also said that rather than relying on a single method, an eco-filtering demonstration facility using a natural filtration system based on artificial wetlands should also be included in the ministry's study.

A range of additional views were presented on improving the quality of raw water in the Nakdong River and ensuring safety throughout the process of diversifying water intake sources.

Busan civic groups emphasized that access to clean water is a fundamental right and called on the national government to play a more active role, including significantly strengthening wastewater discharge standards for national industrial complexes in the Nakdong River basin.

Given the urgency of the drinking water issue, they also proposed that the existing riverbank filtration plan be pursued in parallel with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment's diversification of water intake sources centered on subsurface flow water, together with rigorous water-quality verification. The civic groups also agreed to actively cooperate with Busan Metropolitan City to improve the quality of raw water in the Nakdong River.

Based on the views presented at the meeting, Busan Metropolitan City plans to continue working with relevant organizations to identify ways to secure safe drinking water that residents can drink with confidence.

Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, "The Nakdong River drinking water issue is a critical matter directly linked to the lives and health of our residents. Diversifying water intake sources is not a project for Busan alone, but a national policy task and an important initiative for national water security."

He added, "Busan Metropolitan City will continue to work closely with the national government, the National Assembly, Gyeongsangnam-do, and other relevant organizations to develop the best possible solution for securing a clean water source that residents can trust and drink with confidence."