Water Supply and Sewerage

+ Overview of Policies & Efforts
+ Improvement of Water Supply Systems in Rural Areas and Islands
+ Integrated System of Sewage and Excreta Management

Overview of Policies & Efforts

Korea's annual precipitation is estimated at 1,283 mm, which is 1.3 times higher than the world's average precipitation (973 mm). However, annual precipitation per capita is estimated at 2,705 ton, just one tenth of the world's average. Also, the nation marks 1,550 ton per capita in terms of available domestic water resources, making it one of the water-scarce countries determined by UN. Despite the high water usage rate compared to other OECD countries, Korea faces another challenge in undertaking dam constructions due to submittals of civil compliances and environmental impacts in dam surrounding areas. Additionally, Korea has accomplished the formidable task of improving water supply rate in metropolitan areas by reach 98.5%, yet the rate in rural areas merely stayed at 31.1%.

In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) launched Comprehensive Measures on Water Saving in March 2000 and has been pursuing demand-oriented water policies in replacement of supply-oriented policies. Furthermore, significant investments are being made in bridging the water supply disparity between urban and rural areas as well as to strengthen water treatment capacities to provide people with safe tap water.

As of December 2002, Korea's water supply rate was 88.7% and sewage treatment rate was 75.8% (daily capacity in waterworks facilities = 28,561,000 tons, daily capacity in sewage treatment facilities = 20,233,000 tons) Despite these relative high coverage rates, the government was required to make further efforts to mitigate water supply disparity that still existed across the nation. Correspondingly, MOE made a total investment of 247.2 billion Won (215 million USD) in 122 facilities located in farming and fishing communities (71 facilities, 94 billion Won), small islands (43 facilities, 71.9 billion Won), and small and medium cities (8 facilities, 81.3 billion Won) in 2003. Also, more than 2.7 trillion Won (2.3 billion USD) of investment was allocated for the quality improvement projects in water resource areas, including the installation of 443 sewage treatment facilities and 4,992km of water pipe renewals. (Please go to page 63 for more details)

Drinking water treatment measures have been widely expanded in order to address public concerns related to waterborne viruses and pathogens. Among these efforts include the development of comprehensive plans for the adoption of water treatment standards as well as for the improvements in water purification facilities ('03.4). In addition, MOE provided thorough technical support for a total of 140 small (70) and technically vulnerable (70) facilities.

In particular, the government has introduced advanced water treatment technologies in facilities taking raw water from the 3 major rivers (Han, Nakdong, Yonsan) that are contaminated by domestic and industrial wastes, covering 50% of the total project budget. These advanced techniques have been adopted in 17 facilities by 2002 and will also be introduced in Moon-san County in Paju City, Moon-san County in Dae-gu City, and Ban-song County in Chang-won City. In parallel, expert training for the operators and operation assessments will also be undertaken in order to enhance the efficiency of newly upgraded water treatment facilities. Furthermore, MOE is making a vast investment of 3.8 trillion Won (3.3 billion USD) (1997~2011) to replace 42,757 km of aged water pipes across the nation. During 1997 ~2002, 13,799km water pipes were replaced with the investment of 1.7 trillion Won (1.5 billion USD). MOE prioritizes scientific water management that will secure tap water quality, and a shift to consumer-oriented water management that will lead to greater reliability for trust from citizens.

MOE saw another policy success by saving 585 million tons of water in 2003 compared to the record of 1999 through active promotion of the Comprehensive Measures on Water Saving, a wide-ranging set of measures that encompasses 14 action items including the expansion of water saving/reuse devices, adoption of a new water charge system that encourages greater water saving, and gradual replacement of aged water pipelines. With these measures, MOE set the national water saving target to save 790 million tons of water by 2006.

In particular, significant efforts were made in the area of raising citizen's awareness on water saving. MOE organizes annual Water Day ceremony, and bolsters its endeavors through the promotion of various cultural activities and contests relating to the themes of water and children and the opening of the "I Love Water" homepage. (www.ilovewater.or.kr)

With the launch of the sewage treatment improvement project together with the Comprehensive Measures on the Provision of Clean Water in early 1990s, Korea had attained 75.8% sewage treatment rate by 2002. In addition, concrete measures are underway to help manage sewage and excreta in a greater efficiency. (Please go to page 64 for more details.)

In accordance with the Comprehensive Plans for Water Management established in August 1996, water treatment facilities are undergoing a significant expansion with the target of raising water quality in major supply sources to the grade level 2 (see chart on page 19). By 2003, 243 sewage treatment facilities were built, and 254 treatment facilities are being built with the investment of 659 billion Won (573 million USD).

MOE directed special focus on sewage management in year 2002 by forming the "Special Taskforce for Sewage Pipeline Rehabilitation" with participants from the Ministry of Environment, local agencies, and Environment Management Cooperation (EMC). As a result, the Comprehensive plans for sewage pipeline rehabilitation were established, and in particular, remediation pilot projects have been launched in 9 local governments around the Paldang reservoir. These projects will go on during 2002~05, and 650 billion Won (565 million USD) total investment will be injected for a successful implementation of the pilot measures.

Improvement of Water Supply Systems in Rural Areas and Islands

(1) Background
(2) Water supply system in farming & fishing communities
(3) Water Supply System in Islands
(4) Waterworks Development in Small & Mid-sized Cities

(1) Background

In the past, Korea's water supply system mainly focused on the regions of concentrated population and such policy direction led to the 98.5% water supply rate in metropolitan areas. However the rate in rural areas and islands has stayed at 30%, which is one-third of the coverage in metropolitan areas. As a result, people living in rural areas and small islands - the areas of low precipitation in particular - have often been challenged by severe water shortage even during the periods of moderate drought. In this backdrop, the Ministry of Environment has been making several efforts to reduce the water supply disparity among regions by implementing effective policy measures while making appropriate investments.

(2) Water supply system in farming & fishing communities

Since 1994, Korea has been promoting the waterworks development project in 215 locations with a total investment of 800 billion Won (640 million USD). The goal is to expedite the water supply rate to 50%, which is a 34% increase from 16% in 1994.

(3) Water Supply System in Islands

Small islands, located in remote distance from the mainland, are often faced with many barriers in maintaining proper water supply system. In order to resolve such challenges, Korea is promoting various water supply development projects in 133 locations including: development of river source areas; construction of water treatment facilities; and installation of desalination systems. These projects, of which the implementation budget is estimated at 448.8 billion Won (390 million USD), will be carried out from 1997 to 2005.

(4) Waterworks Development in Small & Mid-sized Cities

Korea is making 916.5 billion (797 million USD) investment for the rehabilitations of waterworks facilities in small & mid-sized cities during 1996 to 2005. With the investment, the Ministry aims to increase the local water supply rate in stages to reach 95% coverage.

In continuous efforts to expand waterworks system to the areas of insecure water supply such as fishing/farming communities and small islands, the Government of Korea plans to launch a 10-year investment plan of approx. 1.93 trillion Won (1.6 billion USD) starting in 2005. The investment will encompass rehabilitation projects in about 370 locations.

Furthermore, MOE is currently developing the "Mid & Long-term Investment Plan to Resolve Tap-Water Supply Discrepancy." Successful implementation of the plan will result in doubled supply rate (60~70%) in suburb areas including farming & fishing villages and small islands

Integrated System of Sewage and Excreta Management

Previously, sewage and excreta disposals have been separately managed under the 'Sewerage Act' and the 'Act on Disposal of Sewage, Excreta and Livestock Wastewater' respectively. Such arrangement was often subjected to a criticism, because they were deemed to result in inefficiency by causing overlapping investments and tasks. In response, MOE has appointed competent members of the Public-Private Policy Improvement Forum with plans to integrate the two laws based on the comprehensive review on the enforcement decrees, budgetary system, and organizational structure of each.

The 'Policy Improvement Forum,' headed by the Director of Policy Research of the Korean Environment Institute (KEI) will develop improvement measures for the upcoming policy revisions. Working-level scientific experts from KEI, waterworks association & institutes, businesses, relevant ministries and local governments will formulate three separate teams, which are i) Sewage, excreta disposal ii) Sewerage system iii) Integration of enforcement decrees & ordinances. The members of the forum will organize brainstorming sessions on demand, and will also host workshops and public hearing sessions.

Up to date, MOE has constructed large-scale wastewater treatment plants in sewage treatment districts while installing small-scale sewage treatment facilities and septic tanks in other areas. By 2002, 207 sewage treatment plants have been built, and 137,000 small-scale sewage treatment facilities and 2,727,000 septic tanks had been installed in areas without the sewerage system.

Accordingly, the coverage rate of sewerage system has been gradually increased from 61% in 1997 to 76% in 2002, and the rate of flushing toilets has also shown an increase, from 84% in 1997 to 92% in 2002. These positive figures suggest the proven improvement in sewage treatment system of Korea in conjunction with the advancements in excreta disposal treatment system. Provided that the Sewerage Act and the Act on the Disposal of Sewage, Excreta, and Livestock Wastewater are integrated, MOE plans to prepare the measures to shift form sewage-focused budgetary system to a balanced system that considers both sewage and excreta wastewater. Understanding that the nation has been experiencing an increase in the rates of flushing toilets and sewerage system, MOE will work to coordinate new measures, organizational structure, and budgetary system to accommodate the projected changes.

The integration of the two Acts will have significant impact on the sewage management system in Korea by departing from a system that merely covered a few urban cities whereas residences or building owners in other areas were asked to install separate septic tanks or other sewage treatment facilities.

Another important measure promoted in the sewage treatment district is that wastewater inflows - which were previously stored in septic tanks - will be treated in sewage treatment facilities. Also, the number of septic tanks (approximately 27,000,000) will be decreased nationwide. Furthermore, combined sewer system with septic tanks will be replaced by separate sewer system, and in the areas previously without sewerage pipes, separate sewer systems will be installed.

Furthermore, Korea will encourage the integration of human expertise in both the septic tank and sewage treatment industries. Also, in order to prevent the production and circulation of unqualified goods and services, MOE will re-examine the septic tank installation & technical standards.

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