K-water Focus ② : Water, Nature and Humankind

K-water Focus ②
K-water is expanding water supply
in the central inland region
Holding of the completion ceremony of Industrial Waterworks for the Chungju Dam System
With the Ministry of Environment and K-water completing the industrial waterworks for the Chungju Dam System, the central inland region is able to receive stable water supply services. It is expected that this will lead to promoting the balanced development of the Chungcheongbuk-do region and enhancing its industrial competitiveness.
Written by Choi Haeng-jwa Photos by K-water

The competition of the wide-area waterworks
at Chungju Dam enables us to provide a stable water supply required
for growth and development in the central inland region.

Providing a stable water supply to the Chungcheongbuk-do region

On December 7, 2022, the Ministry of Environment and K-water held a completion ceremony for the Chungju Dam System Industrial Waterworks(known as Wide-Area Water Supply Phase II) at the Chungju Purification Plant in Chungju City, Chungcheongbuk-do.
With some 200 residents and officials concerned attending, the ceremony involved reporting on the project development, watching the commemoration video, and awarding prizes to people of merit.
The ‘Industrial Waterworks for the Chungju Dam System’ is a project to stably supply additional water to the central inland area where an industrial water shortage was expected due to the development of a new industrial complex for semiconductor. From 2012 to 2022, through a project investment of KRW 340.4 billion, a water intake·purification plant with a capacity of 200,000㎥/day and a water pipeline with a total length of 120km were installed.
Minister of Environment Han Hwa-jin said, “The competition of the wide-area waterworks at Chungju Dam enables us to provide a stable water supply required for growth and development in the central inland region, and we will continue to actively respond to future water supply demand so as to contribute to improving people’s water welfare and strengthening national competitiveness.”

Enhancing the balanced regional development and industrial competitiveness

With the completion of the wide-area water supply system, domestic and industrial water(88,000㎥/day) can be supplied timely to 24 industrial complexes and Chungbuk Innovation City in one city and four counties(Chungju-si, and Jincheon-gun, Eumseong-gum, Jeungpyeong-gun, and Goesan-gun), laying the foundation for balanced regional development.
In addition, it is expected to contribute to the growth of the nationally strategic and cutting-edge semiconductor industry by supplying 112,000㎥ per day of industrial water to SK Hynix in Icheon.
As a result, there will be an emergency linkage with the existing Chungju Dam wide-area water supply(Phase I) facility in the central inland region for water to be supplied without interruption even in the event of a drought or other water supply incidents.
The Ministry of Environment and K-water are implementing the ‘Chungju Dam System Wide-Area Waterworks’(Phase III, 115,000㎥/day) to preemptively supply water to the central inland region where demand for water is estimated to increase due to continuous regional development. Currently, a preliminary feasibility study is underway with a plan to expand stable water supplies in the future.

※ This interview was conducted in accordance with the COVID-19 safety rules.