Water, Nature and Humankind
News on / 2024. 09

  • 01 K-water Mobilizes All Possible Resources for Algae bloom

    On August 13, K-water President Yoon Seog-dae visited Dacheong Dam for a comprehensive inspection of the dam operations and the treatment of suspended solids, and ordered that all possible resources be mobilized to eliminate algae in response to the proliferation of algal blooms in the wake of a prolonged spell of heat waves. He particularly emphasized that the inspection should focus on the broader environmental conditions, including inflows of plants, trees and domestic waste, and that suspended solids be removed as quickly as possible. K-water is stepping up its efforts to raise its execution competency with a focus on improving the water environment, which has become highly vulnerable to pollution since the rainy season. Algae bloom work is carried out mainly in Seokho-ri and Chuso-ri, Okcheon-gun, Cheongchungbuk-do, where screens have been installed to block suspended solids from entering the water. As the possibility of algal blooms continues to rise due to persistent temperature anomalies, more algae-blocking screens are being set up and readily usable resources are being used to respond proactively to possible algal blooms. Furthermore, K-water is planning to work with the Ministry of Environment and other organizations to implement more aggressive measures to improve the water environment, such as operating more large-scale algae harvesters and tightening algae monitoring by using small AI-based algal bloom monitoring devices.
    K-water President Yoon said, “It is our job to ensure water safety for the public in times of emergency, including war and other kinds of disaster. Building upon today’s joint drill, K-water will continue to strengthen its capability to protect major national facilities in times of crisis.”

  • 02 2024 K-water Examines its Crisis-Response Competency in a National Civil Defense Drill

    During the 2024 National Civil Defense Drill conducted from August 19 to 22, K-water performed a comprehensive inspection of its crisis response competency to ensure water safety in the event of emergency situations including war and natural disasters. On August 20, K-water and other related organizations conducted a joint drill to respond to a terror attack in an area near Jangheung Dam, which supplies water to ten cities and counties in Jeollanam-do, including Mokpo. The drill was carried out according to a scenario in which a sluice is destroyed by a terror attack involving drones. The drill focused on examining the system of cooperation between the military, police, fire department, and government agencies and on enhancing the region’s ability to respond to a crisis, including prompt repair of the damaged sluice.

  • 03 Launch of the 100-Person Safety Patrol!

    On August 13, K-water held a ceremony to celebrate the launch of “100-Person Safety Patrol.” The patrol is an expert advisory group formed to standardize types of broad-scope safety, identify potential factors of vulnerability, and help to develop and take preventive actions. The group is expected to help K-water take its safety management competency to the next level. The group is composed of 100 experts including K-water employees with extensive field experience, and experts from the private sector, government and academia in the fields of facility construction and operation, types of facilities, and applicable technology. It is expected to provide advice and support on a broad spectrum of safety management, based on fresh perspectives and professional knowledge, including system improvement, identification of tasks, reviews of designs and construction processes, and on-site safety inspections.

  • 04 K-water Selected as the Best Model of Shared Growth by MSS

    K-water was recently selected as the “Best Model of Shared Growth” by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in the 2024 Win-Win Honors Project. The selection was based on “Water Round, a Playground for the Development of the Digital Water Industry”, a digital private-public cooperation platform developed by K-water. Through Water Round, K-water provided data, infrastructure and sales channels to its partner Eco Peace in the process of jointly developing an advanced water quality management robot. The platform played a critical role in the way K-water shared information and communicated with enterprises with great potential throughout the entire process of planning, developing and marketing digital solutions. In addition, K-water is running various support programs for water technology companies and working closely with them to produce results together. Its selection as the “Best Model of Shared Growth” by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups is viewed as recognition of all the efforts K-water has made to promote shared growth over the years.

  • 05 2024 2024 Nationwide Water Big Data Contest

    K-water held the 2024 K-water Nationwide Water Big Data Contest at its head office in Daejeon on August 13. Launched in 2018 to encourage people’s use of public water data, the annual contest allows K-water to collect creative ideas from the public on how public water data can be processed and analyzed, and some of the selected ideas are used to improve its water services and solve water issues. This year, a team of college students from Kookmin University won the Grand Prize for their idea for an “AI-based real-time water supply risk prediction service: based on actual cases of drought victims”. K-water will further expand its channels of communication with the public and listen to the voices of the people in order to gather fresh ideas for innovative water management that it can apply to its work processes and services.

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