President Lee Hak-soo of Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) delivers his New Year’s speech. (Photo: K-Water)

President Lee Hak-soo of Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) listed four key measures in his plan to let the world know of the company’s work on the integration of water management.

First, he stressed that K-water should work hard to set itself up as an expert water management company to prevent and cope with disasters related to water.

Keeping the public from various water related disasters as a key mission, K-water should go after the ecology of water from volume to quality with an integrated water management measure, resolve the imbalance of water resources by regions with replacement water resources such as underground water resources.

The company should also work to find a fresh water management policy that balances disaster prevention and the recovery of nature in water, the top manager said.

Second, he will see that the company is responsible about water resources and tap water.

The company should modernize the water supply systems in the regions, expand the smart water management system and make the upstream water support centers work well to boost the level of its water resources management system.

The company should work to resolve all kinds of problems related to water around the country so that everyone appreciates that the water welfare system around them is working.

Third, using the diverse value of water, the company should supply value to the people as a huge benefit. The company should expand its recycled energy and lead in dirt reduction policies.

It should also form the Eco Delta in Busan as a model for a globally representative smart city so that a blue print for water circulation can be presented. The company will also be able to contribute to the creation of jobs and economic development by vitalizing the new industries.

Finally, it should become a company for the people, leading the realization of social values thru the service centered management, he said. In finishing his New Year’s speech, the CEO stressed that the company should become an expert in taking full charge of the entire process of water management in Korea.

Through a combination of smart water meters and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the country has managed to increase the consumption and trust in public water supply.

Below we look at why South Korea is punching with the heavyweights not only in terms of electronics but also smart water management.

Despite the nearly universal availability of high-quality drinking water in Korea, the direct tap water drinking rate of Korea is only around five percent.

The main reason why Koreans do not drink tap water directly is a distrust due to concerns about the aging water pipes, the alleged smell and taste of tap water, the report said.

As a result, Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) introduced the ‘Smart Water City’ (SWC) concept with the goal to increase the consumption of tap water. In a Smart Water City ICT is integrated throughout the entire water supply process, from treatment to tap.

People can directly check for themselves in real-time the status of the tap water supply process and water quality.

In Paju Smart City, the consumption of tap water substantially increased from one percent to 36.3 percent in a three-year period.

A combination of ICT technology and real-time sensors were collectively used together with ground staff engagement. K-water reports that public trust in drinking water has also increased using the SWC concept.

Water is an important resource not just in daily life but also for a nation’s economic development and improving water-related infrastructure and fostering experts in the sector are key to its effective management.