Gyeonggi-do, Hwaseong-si Managed Stream Water Pollution Accident 'Post-Environmental Impact Assessment'

Gyeonggi Province will conduct a post-environmental impact survey on the water pollution accident in Gwanlicheon Stream managed by Hwaseong City.

Gyeonggi Province announced that from March 12 to September, it will carry out a post-environmental impact survey on a 9km section of Gwanlicheon Stream from upstream of the confluence point of the accident site and a 3.5km section of Jinwicheon Stream downstream of the Gwanlicheon confluence.

The survey will be divided into four fields: water quality, aquatic ecology, river sediment, and groundwater. It will be led by the Gyeonggi Provincial Water Resources Headquarters, with participation from five organizations including the Gyeonggi Provincial Institute of Health and Environment, the National Institute of Environmental Research, the Chemical Safety Agency, Hwaseong City, and Pyeongtaek City.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

Gyeonggi Province plans to prepare countermeasures if the analysis of the condition of Gwanlicheon Stream and the impact on Jinwicheon Stream shows pollution effects.

Along with the environmental impact survey, Gyeonggi Province intends to propose to the Ministry of Environment a revision of the manual for establishing a real-time accident propagation system to prepare for complex accidents where chemical accidents lead to water pollution accidents, like the Gwanlicheon water pollution accident. Gyeonggi’s position is that the usage rights of the accident situation sharing application should be expanded to include water pollution officers to respond to complex accidents.

Yoon Deok-hee, Director of the Provincial Water Resources Headquarters, said, "In the event of a water pollution accident, we plan to quickly establish a joint response system with related organizations," adding, "We will regularly conduct water pollution accident prevention drills and training for city and county officials to do our best in accident preparedness and response."

The Hwaseong City Gwanlicheon water pollution accident occurred on January 9 due to a fire at a chemical storage facility located in Yanggam-myeon, Hwaseong City. Chemicals stored there flowed into the nearby Gwanlicheon Stream along with firefighting water, causing water pollution.

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