Incheon City to Connect Water Purification Plants in Pairs with Emergency Pipelines for Stable Tap Water Supply in Case of Accidents

On May 13, Incheon City announced that it will push forward with the construction of emergency interconnection pipelines between water purification plants to ensure a stable supply of tap water, even in the event of purification plant accidents or pipeline damage.

The city plans to invest a total project cost of 73.7 billion won to newly install a 4.9-kilometer water pipeline. The project will be carried out in two sections: from Namdong Water Purification Plant to Fisheries Water Purification Plant, and from Gongchon Water Purification Plant to Bupyeong Water Purification Plant.

The Namdong to Fisheries Water Purification Plant section will be a total length of 2.1 kilometers with a pipe diameter of 2,000 millimeters. The construction will use the 'Line Stopping' technique, which enables the new pipeline to be connected to the existing pipeline without interrupting the water supply. Completion is scheduled for March 2028.

The Gongchon to Bupyeong Water Purification Plant section will be 2.8 kilometers long with a pipe diameter of 1,500 millimeters. The 'Trenchless Pipe Jacking (TPS)' method will be adopted to minimize road excavation, thereby reducing noise and dust generated during construction and minimizing inconvenience for citizens. The target completion date is October 2029.

An official from the Incheon Waterworks Headquarters stated, "This project is about creating an 'emergency bypass,' so that tap water can be supplied from other purification plants even if the operation of a particular plant is halted," adding, "We will make every effort to complete the project within the planned period without any setbacks."