Lee Dae-hyun was appointed to be the head of Seoul Waterworks Authority in the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s reshuffle, conducted on Aug. 12.
Lee, born in Naju in 1964, graduated from Busan Mechanics Engineering High School and Konkuk University Public Administration Department. He obtained a master’s degree in economic analysis from the University of Nottingham, UK.
He has held major positions in his career, such as the Overall New Town Team of the New Town Business Headquarters in 2006, director in charge of transportation logistics with the Urban Transportation Headquarters in 2008, director in charge of resources circulation with the Clean Environment Headquarters in 2011, director in charge of management inspection with the Auditor’s Office in 2012, director in administrative affairs with the Administrative Bureau in 2014, director in charge of transportation planning with the Urban Transportation Headquarters in 2017, vice mayor of Dobong Ward Office in 2019, and director-general of the Life-long Education Bureau in 2020.
He once had a six-month stint as head of the Administration Division with the Seoul Waterworks Authority.
Lee has been charged with administrative public responsibilities, but he is the sole head of the Seoul Waterworks Authority who has been engaged with technologies related to tap water among his predecessors.
He obtained pipe technician and high-pressure gas technician certificates while attending Busan Mechanics Engineering High School. He is a seasoned expert with basic expertise in chlorination and tap water pipelines.
Lee, chief of the Seoul Waterworks Authority, was quoted as saying, “Even though history is circulating, I look like having received an appointment certificate of being charged with the last mission of my career with the SMG.”
Arisu, Korea’s Representative Drinking Water
It has been over 110 years since the commencement of water supply at 12,500 tons/day on Sept. 1, 1908 to 125,000 residents in Yongsan and district surrounded by the four gates of old Seoul from the Water Purification Plant No. 1 at Ttukdo Water Reservoir.
The reservoir was built by H. Collbran and H.R. Bostwick at the request of Emperor Gojong. Today, Arisu has positioned itself as a clean, tasty drinking water that represents Korea.
In 2015, tap water purified through advancement treatment was 100 percent supplied to the entire area of Seoul.
In 2016, it rapidly grew into globally recognized Seoul’s tap water “Arisu” by becoming the country’s first tap water to obtain the ISO 22000 certification on food safety management systems.
Origin of the Word Arisu
Arisu is a compound word consisting of “Ari,” which means big in Korean, and “Su,” a Chinese character meaning water. It was the name for Han River during the time of the Goguryeo Dynasty.
In February 2004, in order to improve public preference for tap water, Seoul Waterworks Authority registered with the Korean Intellectual Property Office “아리水,” a combination of Korean and Chinese characters, and “Arisu,” an English name, as the new name for the tap water supplied in Seoul.
With the new brand “Arisu,” the tap water in Seoul has been developed as safe, healthy water representing Korea and which is differentiated from the tap water in other cities.
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