A Leak-Proof Water Supply System... Only 0.3% Away from Being the World's Best

Seoul Tap Water Flow Rate 95.8% ... Japan Tokyo 2018 96.1% Close Pursuit
121 Billion Tons of Tap Water Leakage Prevented Over 31 Years ... Equivalent to 50 Times Paldang Dam Reservoir Volume Saved

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The tap water delivered from the water purification plant to household faucets without 'leakage' is 95.8%. Seoul's water service rate (유수율, Yusuyul) has reached the level just below Tokyo, Japan, which ranks first in the world. This year, the goal is to surpass Tokyo and take the number one spot.

According to Seoul City on the 14th, last year's water service rate improved by 0.7 percentage points from 95.1% the previous year to 95.8%. The water service rate refers to the ratio of tap water produced at the purification plant that ultimately reaches households through water pipes and is billed. A higher water service rate means that water loss has been reduced through thorough leakage management.

In 1989, Seoul's water service rate was only 55.2%. It reached 90.0% in 2006 and has continued to rise steadily since then. Over 31 years, 12.1 billion tons of tap water leakage have been prevented, which is about 50 times the storage capacity of Paldang Dam (244 million cubic meters) and enough water for 10 million Seoul citizens to use for 10 years. The city estimates that improving the water service rate has saved 8.6 trillion won in water production and supply costs over 31 years.

Seoul's water service rate is comparable to the world's highest record of 96.1% set by Tokyo in 2018. As of 2018, the water service rates of major world cities were Seoul 95.1%, Yokohama, Japan 92.2%, Osaka 91.5%, Paris, France 90.4%, Los Angeles, USA 90.3%, New York 85.4%, and London, UK 74.4%. Other major domestic cities' water service rates were Daejeon 94.6%, Daegu 93.7%, Busan 91.6%, Ulsan 90.7%, Incheon 89.9%, and Gwangju 88.4%.

Seoul City cited the following reasons for the increase in water service rate: early replacement of aging water pipes, implementation of leakage prevention measures targeting responsible parties such as construction sites, and stable supply of tap water through expansion of water reservoirs. The city has set this year's water service rate target at the world’s highest level of 96.1% and plans to make every effort to achieve it. The remaining 28.9 km of first-generation aging water pipes will be completely replaced by the first half of the year, and 38 km of water pipes used for over 30 years will also be maintained. Additionally, the city will expand the operation of a flow monitoring system that monitors and controls tap water flow in real time to strengthen systematic and scientific supply management.

Baek Ho, head of the Waterworks Project Headquarters, said, "Preventing water loss caused by aging water pipes and poor management alone can save hundreds of millions of won annually. If leakage is suspected in households, contacting the waterworks office will result in prompt action to prevent water waste."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.