Anyang City to Prevent Recurrence of Aging Hot Water Pipe Ruptures Over 30 Years Old

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Anyang City announced on the 1st that it is taking measures to prevent a recurrence of accidents involving ruptures of aging hot water pipes.

On the 27th of last month, an aging hot water pipe operated by GS Power ruptured near Beomgye Station in Anyang, causing steam leaks. Heat supply, which had been halted, resumed on the 29th following overnight repair work spanning four days.

Fortunately, there were no casualties, but over 50,000 households in the Anyang and Gunpo regions experienced inconvenience due to suspended heating and hot water supply.

The city believes the problem may extend beyond a single pipeline and plans to urge GS Power to ▲expedite completion of the dual hot water pipe project ▲strengthen safety inspections of aging hot water pipes ▲enhance round-the-clock leak monitoring to prevent such accidents from recurring.

Hot water pipe rupture accidents have occurred not only in Anyang but continuously in other cities with long-established district heating networks: Goyang ('18), Seoul ('18, '21), Yongin ('25), and Anyang ('24, '25).

Anyang Mayor Choi Dae-ho stated, "To ensure such accidents do not recur, we will conduct a strategy meeting with GS Power in November and consult with experts regarding hot water pipes over 30 years old," and added, "We will pursue remediation projects for Pyeongchon New Town, which is over 30 years old, in parallel to establish measures addressing the durability and safety of aging infrastructure."