"Filters Turn Black in a Day"... Gangneung Residents Endure "Rusty Water Showers" Amid Ongoing Water Outages

Gangneung Residents Suffer Discolored Water
as Water Outages and Rationing Continue

In Gangneung, Gangwon Province, residents are experiencing damage from discolored water as water outages and rationing continue due to the severe drought.

A resident of Gangneung, Gangwon Province, reported that discolored water appeared as water rationing began. Thread

Recently, a series of posts have appeared on social media reporting difficulties caused by water rationing. Residents have described inconveniences such as toilets that won't flush and being unable to wash dishes due to a lack of domestic water. Some have said that, because of the water outage, they have been relying on food delivery for several days as cooking at home has become difficult.

Currently, as the drought persists in Gangneung, water rationing has been implemented at 123 large accommodation facilities, including apartment complexes, since the 6th of this month. For apartment buildings with water tanks of 100 tons or more, an improved schedule was introduced on the 13th, adjusting water supply times to twice a day for three hours each, from 6 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 9 p.m.

Water outage times vary by apartment and time slot, but because water flow through the pipes is not smooth, discolored water issues have arisen. Some residents have reported that their water filters turned black after just one day. In households with children, more people are searching for supplies such as shower filters to prepare for the outages.

As reports of resident hardship continued, some companies have stepped forward to offer free shower filters. On September 16, Kitple, a company that sells shower head filters, posted on its official social media account, "It seems like the discolored water problem is serious in Gangneung apartments due to the water outage. We don't have much stock, but we can send filters to about five people. If you need one, please contact us."

On the 14th, Obong Reservoir, which supplies 87% of the domestic water in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, showed a slight increase in water storage rate due to the rain that fell the previous day. Yonhap News

Local residents have expressed gratitude, saying, "We really needed filters." One user commented, "Even with a filter, something transparent is floating in the water, so I can't even use it for brushing my teeth, but this gives me hope." Another user said, "Ordering filters this time cost well over 100,000 won. It will be helpful for households with children or for those with patients at home."

The water level at Obong Reservoir, which supplies 87% of Gangneung's domestic water, has risen for four consecutive days. As of 6 a.m. on September 17, the water storage rate stood at 16.7% (compared to the average of 71.8%), up 0.1 percentage points from the previous day. More rain is also in the forecast. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, 10 to 40 millimeters of rainfall is expected in the Yeongdong region of Gangwon Province between September 17 and 18. However, since the current storage rate at Obong Reservoir is still far below the average of 72.1%, it is expected to take more time for the drought to be fully resolved.