Sewage Fee Imposed Despite No Discharged Groundwater... Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission: "Refund Required"

A ruling has been made that it is unfair for an administrative agency to impose a sewage usage fee on discharged groundwater without conducting an on-site investigation. Discharged groundwater refers to groundwater that naturally flows out due to underground facilities or construction work.

Government Complex Sejong, Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

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The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on April 27 that it had expressed its opinion that Seoul Metropolitan Government and Geumcheon District should refund the sewage usage fee imposed on discharged groundwater for Building A without an on-site investigation.

The management office for Building A had been paying a sewage usage fee for discharged groundwater since 2005. However, as it appeared that there was no discharged groundwater, the office requested an investigation by Seoul Metropolitan Government, and in April 2024, a field inspection by Geumcheon District confirmed that there was no discharged groundwater. Accordingly, the management office submitted a grievance to the Commission requesting a refund of the sewage usage fee previously paid for discharged groundwater.

The Commission's investigation found that Building A had experienced discharged groundwater from the time of its new construction in 2005 until 2017. However, after that period, Seoul Metropolitan Government imposed a usage fee for discharged groundwater without any on-site verification.

According to the relevant ordinance, the competent district office must check and notify Seoul Metropolitan Government at least twice a year about the occurrence of discharged groundwater, and Seoul Metropolitan Government may only impose a usage fee based on the usage volume notified. The Commission determined that sewage usage fees imposed without this procedure were unjustified.

Heo Jae-woo, Director General of Grievance Mediation at the Commission, stated, "This decision is an example of providing relief to building residents who suffered damages from sewage usage fees imposed without on-site investigations. We will continue to do our best to ensure that citizens do not suffer from administrative agencies' routine practices in the future."

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