"Boil Tap Water Contaminated with Larvae?"... Citizens Angry at Delayed Response Demand Measures

Larvae Presumed to Be Midges Found Consecutively in Changwon, Gyeongnam
Jinhae Residents Say "Contaminated Water Feels Uncomfortable and Unpleasant"
Larvae Also Found in Tap Water in Incheon and Jeju in 2020

Larvae found in a shower filter at a private residence in Incheon in July 2020. Photo by Reader Provided (Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] As midge larvae have been repeatedly found in the water purification plant and household tap water in Changwon, Gyeongnam Province, distrust in tap water is rising.

Changwon City informed citizens about the larvae discovery 36 hours after the fact, sparking controversy over the 'delayed disclosure.' However, under current law, there is no obligation to notify citizens even if larvae are found. This is because cases of 'midge larvae' are not included in the water quality standard violations that must be reported to residents in the jurisdiction.

Residents of Jinhae District condemned Changwon City's response. On the afternoon of the 13th, organizations such as the Happy Centered Jinhae Cooperative, Jinhae YWCA, and Changwon Water Life Citizens' Coalition held a press conference in front of Changwon City Hall, stating, "We have been unknowingly drinking tap water contaminated with larvae for two days since the 7th," and added, "Even on the 6th day, we feel uneasy and uncomfortable but have no choice but to use that water."

They further argued, "Midges are indicator species of water pollution grade 4, mainly inhabiting polluted rivers," and claimed, "Telling people to boil water when larvae are visibly coming out of the tap water is equivalent to telling them to cook and eat the larvae."

The Ministry of Environment stated in response, "An epidemiological investigation team is currently conducting an investigation." The Ministry's Water Use Planning Division released an explanatory statement on the same day, rebutting the claim that midges are grade 4 indicator species causing atopy by saying, "There are about 400 species of midges in Korea, ranging from grade 1 to grade 4 indicator species."

Meanwhile, this is not the first incident of larvae found in tap water. In Incheon, since larvae were first discovered on July 9, 2020, the number of cases has continuously increased, heightening citizens' anxiety about tap water. Investigations by the Han River Basin Environmental Office under the Ministry of Environment and Incheon Metropolitan City confirmed that the source of the Incheon midge tap water incident was the granular activated carbon adsorption site at the Gongchon and Bupyeong water purification plants.

In the same year, larvae were also found in tap water in the Seogwipo area of Jeju. The investigation revealed that the cause of the Jeju larvae incident was a combination of factors, including the rainy season creating an environment conducive to massive larvae breeding, aging facilities, and lack of expertise. However, the larvae found in Incheon tap water were identified as three species of previously unrecorded domestic midge larvae, different from those found in Jeju.

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