Suwon Launches 'Door-to-Door Tap Water Assurance Service' for Vulnerable Populations

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] The Suwon Waterworks announced on the 30th that it will launch a 'Door-to-Door Tap Water Assurance Service' for information-vulnerable populations.

The 'Door-to-Door Tap Water Assurance Service' involves water quality monitoring staff visiting the homes of information-vulnerable citizens, including basic livelihood security recipients, elderly people living alone, and people with disabilities, to conduct free water quality tests.

The service tests for seven items: detection of substances that may occur in aging pipes (iron and copper), residual chlorine, turbidity, pH level, taste, and odor. After conducting an on-site inspection, if the monitoring staff determines that the water quality is unsatisfactory, the waterworks laboratory conducts additional testing and analysis of microorganisms (total coliforms, general bacteria, etc.) and provides guidance on the cause.

Since 2014, Suwon Waterworks has operated the 'Tap Water Assurance Verification System,' in which water quality testing staff visit homes and conduct free water quality tests when citizens request them.

However, vulnerable populations who have difficulty accessing information, such as elderly people who cannot easily use the internet, often do not know about or use the Tap Water Assurance Verification System.

By August 5 this year, 526 households had utilized the Tap Water Assurance Verification System. Among them, 52.5% were residents of Yeongdeungpo-gu, where younger populations predominantly reside. By contrast, the proportion of households in Paldal-gu, where elderly people predominantly reside, was only 10.6%.

Suwon Waterworks selected approximately 500 vulnerable households and began the Door-to-Door Tap Water Assurance Service starting on the 27th of this month. Eight water quality testing staff members (in pairs of two) are scheduled to visit target households from now through September 25 to provide water quality testing services.

An official from Suwon Waterworks stated, "After tap water insect larvae occurred in Incheon in July, many citizens applied for the Tap Water Assurance Verification System to resolve their concerns. However, information-vulnerable populations were unaware of the system and had low usage rates. We will provide door-to-door services to ensure that no citizens are left out of 'water welfare.'"

Meanwhile, the Tap Water Assurance Verification System can be accessed by applying through the 'Water Quality Testing Application' menu on the Suwon Waterworks (water.suwon.go.kr) and Water Love (www.ilovewater.or.kr) websites, or by calling (031-228-4898).