Donghae City Conducts Regular Inspections of Dalbang Dam and Water Sources to Prepare for Extreme Drought

Joint Inspection of Alternative Water Supply Status,
Including Dalbang Dam Intake Tower Facilities

Donghae City in Gangwon Province announced on September 9 that it is conducting regular inspections of water intake and purification facilities across various water systems, including Dalbang Dam, to ensure the stability of the water supply amid extreme drought conditions.

Sim Kyuon, mayor of Donghae City, is conducting regular inspections of water intake and purification facilities across various water systems, including Dalbang Dam, to ensure the stability of water supply amid extreme drought conditions. Provided by Donghae City

With the extreme drought persisting in the Yeongdong region, Donghae City has recorded only 307.7mm of rainfall so far this year, which is less than 46.5% of last year’s total (661.2mm). However, the current water storage at Dalbang Dam, which serves as an alternative water source, stands at 4.42 million tons as of September 5, maintaining about 60% of its normal level. According to the Korea Water Resources Corporation’s response criteria, this remains within the normal stage.

The three water purification plants operated by Donghae City are also generally in good condition in terms of securing raw water compared to normal years, so there are currently no anticipated disruptions to the regular supply of tap water. However, if the extreme drought continues through the end of the year, the water level at Dalbang Dam, which is the alternative intake source, could be downgraded to the “attention stage.” Therefore, the city is strengthening regular facility inspections as a preemptive measure.

In particular, to prepare for frequent droughts, Donghae City carried out a riverbank filtration water development project from 2017 to 2019, utilizing the closed water intake well of Ssangyong C&E located upstream of Jeoncheon (at the entrance of Seolwongol), connecting a 2km section to the Swaeun Water Intake Plant. Through this project, the city now directly produces 10,000 tons of filtered water per day, supplying not only the Swaeun Water Purification Plant but also establishing a supply network to the Samun Water Purification Plant. This has greatly contributed to ensuring a stable water supply and facilitating tap water production even during the current drought conditions.

Additionally, since 2020, Donghae City has implemented the first phase of the local water supply modernization project targeting the Iwon and Bugok water supply zones, focusing on refurbishing old pipelines and improving water flow rates. As a result, the average water flow rate, which previously remained in the 40% range, has now improved to 60-85%. The city has also achieved a reduction in daily tap water production by about 5,000 tons (10%), which has proven to be highly effective amid the ongoing drought.

Mayor Sim Kyuon stated, "In preparation for frequent droughts caused by global warming, we will continue to pursue the maintenance of old pipelines and upgrades to purification plant facilities. We will focus all administrative resources on advancing the water supply system so that we can provide citizens with a more stable and higher-quality tap water supply."

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