Gyeonggi-do Conducts Water Quality Tests at 60 Valley and Water Play Facilities

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province will conduct a joint water quality survey on 13 restored clean valleys in 11 cities and counties and 47 water play-type water facilities in 19 cities and counties within the province to manage the restored clean valleys.

This water quality survey is a follow-up measure for the continuous management of valleys and maintenance of clean water quality after the clean valley restoration project, a key initiative of Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung.

The water quality survey will be conducted six times in total at two-week intervals from the fourth week of June to the second week of September.

The target valleys include Changneungcheon in Goyang, Jangturicheon in Yongin, Cheonghakcheon in Namyangju, Beoncheoncheon in Gwangju, Jangheung Valley in Yangju, Baegun Valley in Pocheon, Cheonggyecheon in Uiwang, Julokcheon in Yeoju, Tapdong Valley in Dongducheon, Gapyeongcheon, Eobi Valley, and Jojongcheon in Gapyeong, and Amicheon in Yeoncheon.

The province selects two points per valley where contamination by sediment (riverbed soil) is unlikely, collects samples from 10 to 30 cm below the surface, and measures the content of five items: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solids, total nitrogen and phosphorus, and Escherichia coli.

Yangju Jangheung Valley and Pocheon Baegun Valley, which attract many visitors as major summer resorts, will have E. coli levels tested weekly during the peak season of July and August.

If the E. coli levels exceed the recommended standards twice consecutively or other nonconformities are found, the province will inform visitors and residents of the situation and take emergency measures to prevent pollution, such as cleaning upstream areas.

Water play-type water facilities refer to artificial facilities such as fountains, ponds, waterfalls, and small streams that use tap water or groundwater and are open to the public, allowing users to directly touch the water and play in it.

From the end of June to August, water quality surveys will be conducted on selected facilities that require inspection, including public facilities with many users, facilities installed within apartments, and facilities that have received administrative sanctions in the past three years.

Follow-up measures such as fines will be taken in case of violations of water quality and management regulations.

The main inspection items include ▲ compliance with water quality standards such as pH, turbidity, and E. coli ▲ maintaining water depth below 30 cm, removal of suspended solids and sediments ▲ weekly cleaning of retention tanks or passing water through filters at least once a day ▲ installation of disinfection facilities or addition of sterilizing/disinfecting agents.

Lee Young-jong, head of the Water Resources Headquarters of the province, promised, "We will do our best to inspect and manage water quality so that people can enjoy safe and clean water play not only in rivers and valleys within the province but also in urban areas."

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