Gyeonggi Province Invests 456 Billion Won to Improve Hantan River Water Quality

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 22nd that it has prepared a "Comprehensive Hantan River Water Quality Improvement Plan" to significantly improve the water quality of the Hantan River, which has been severely polluted by factory wastewater and domestic sewage.

To this end, the province will invest a total of 456 billion won by 2010 to install 16 environmental infrastructure facilities, including sewage treatment plants, in the main channel of the Hantan River and its tributaries such as Shin Stream, Pocheon Stream, and Yeongpyeong Stream, and will pursue a total of 13 projects including the creation of natural streams in four locations including Shin Stream and Pocheon Stream.

In particular, the province plans to install 6 environmental infrastructure facilities in Shin Stream, which has been severely polluted with BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) of 10ppm and chromaticity of 48.8 degrees due to factory wastewater from dyeing and leather industries, and will install 4 and 2 environmental infrastructure facilities respectively in Pocheon Stream and Yeongpyeong Stream, which are polluted by livestock wastewater, and will upgrade 342 km of sewage pipes.

Upon completion of this project, the sewage coverage rate of the Hantan River will increase from 72.7% last year to 84.1%, with Shin Stream rising from 72.2% to 94.5%, Pocheon Stream from 59.5% to 83.3%, and Yeongpyeong Stream from 9.6% to 71.1%.

The province will also implement natural stream creation projects at four locations—three in Yeoncheon, Dongducheon, and Yangju where Shin Stream passes through, and one at Pocheon Stream—with a total investment of 80.5 billion won.

In addition, the province will focus all efforts on preventing chromaticity pollution by investing 2 billion won per location at 7 sources that cause chromaticity pollution, including the Yangju Geumjun Wastewater Treatment Plant, and will install chromaticity pollution prevention facilities and introduce a differentiated inspection system based on pollutant grades targeting 1,964 wastewater-discharging establishments.

Furthermore, to efficiently treat livestock wastewater, the province will support collection and transportation costs for livestock wastewater from small-scale livestock farms and plans to increase livestock wastewater public treatment facilities from the current 2 locations to 3 locations.

In addition, the province will expand river monitoring points in the Hantan River watershed from the current 12 locations to 65 locations, establish a remote monitoring system for sewage treatment plant effluent water quality, and plans to establish the Hantan River Restoration Movement Headquarters led by private sector to encourage voluntary participation from citizens.

The province expects that upon completion of such water quality improvement efforts, the water quality of the Hantan River will improve from 4.1ppm as of last year to 2ppm in 2010, Shin Stream from 10.1ppm to 8.0ppm, and Pocheon Stream from 3.2ppm to 2.0ppm, and the chromaticity of Shin Stream and Pocheon Stream will also decrease significantly.

Lee Han-dae, director of the Paldang Water Quality Improvement Headquarters, stated, "The Hantan River has a high potential for water pollution due to indiscriminately scattered factories and livestock farms," and added, "In particular, Shin Stream, which is part of the Hantan River watershed, is polluted by domestic sewage and factory wastewater from dyeing and leather industries, hindering the river's self-purification capacity and even causing discomfort to those who view it, so we have prepared comprehensive countermeasures from multiple angles."