Language:
Search
 
on&off-line real-time water quality opening services
Office of Waterworks, Seoul Metropolitan Government

The Problem

○ Seoul tap water, 'Arisu' satisfies all 145 items of water quality inspection recommended by WHO. Safety of Arisu was verified by US organizations(UL & NSF) specializing in products quality analysis, which are famous for strict standards. The quality of Seoul tap water, 'Arisu', is superior or comparable to tap water of developed countries.
○ However, citizen customers of Seoul are suspicious about the quality of Arisu for no apparent reason and avoid drinking it.
There was no any monitoring system to verify the quality of tap water directly in each citizens' house.
That brought low rate of drinking tap water, high sales volume of bottled water, reckless underground water development, and indiscreet belief in water purifiers, also negative effects such as waste of water resources and pollution of drinking water caused by the humble management of water purifiers. Finally, that was threatening citizens' health and caused lots of doubts for the public services (tap water supplying service. etc)

Solution and Key Benefits

 What is the initiative about? (the solution)
○ Through the internet, citizens of Seoul can verify quality of tap water in real time which is supplied to their each house from water purification plants that are located around their residences , also can verify water quality with water quality inspecting agents who visit citizens' houses for free.

The former is called ' Seoul Water-Now System' , and the latter is called 'Arisu Quality Verification System'

○ Implementing these two services could clear out citizens' potential unsatisfaction & suspicion for water quality, finally have secured citizens' trust and improved transparency, accountability in the public services.

○ In accordance with the rise of trust in the safety of tap water, the rate of drinking tap water has soared over 20% than before.

○ About 76% of households which has experienced Arisu Quality Verification System has got the highly increased trust in tap water.

○ Increasing of the rate of drinking tap water makes citizens reduce the management cost and purchasing fee of water purifiers and bottled water, also can conserve the resources of ground water.

Actors and Stakeholders

 Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
○ Office of Waterworks, Seoul Metropolitan Government proposed the initiative and has been implementing it.
Stakeholders are all citizens of Seoul.

(a) Strategies

 Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
 a.      What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
- objectives : Improving citizens' trust in tap water by supplying best services

- strategies : Implementation of free water quality verification for all Seoul residences(Arisu Quality verification system)
Real-time Opening of the information of water quality through the internet
(Seoul Water-Now System)

(b) Implementation

 b.      What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
○ Arisu Quality Verification System
- In the period of first implementation step, from 2001 to 2007, our water quality inspecting agents have been visiting about 60,000 residences every year and inspecting tap water quality for free.
- From 2008 to 2010, the period of magnified implementation step, Seoul waterworks office is going to inspect all 2.6million households of Seoul, it has already finished the water quality verification for 680,000 residences in 2008, is gonna inspect 1.92 million residences by 2010.
∙ 2008 Yr : 0.68 million(completed)
∙ '09~'10 Yr :1.92 million

○ Seoul Water-Now System
- The basic plan to establish Seoul Water-Now System had been made in 2001, about 4.8billion KRW had been invested for five years and the system had started from 2005.
- From March. 2008, by opening the information of water quality - turbidity, pH, chlorine residual -, of total 72 spots including 6 intake plants, 6 water purification plants, and 60 spots of water supplied routes to citizens through the internet,
citizens can verify the information of water quality around their tap water supplied areas directly.
∙ Total number of spots opened : 72

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

 c.      What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
- Although Suffering from the shortage of expense and manpower in the beginning of the two services,
in accordance with the improvement of the revenue water rate, or prevention of water leakage, and reduction of production cost by downsizing our office, it can obtain efficiency and productivity and input more inspection agents and expense into the initiatives of free water quality verification system and Seoul Water-Now System.

(d) Use of Resources

 d.      What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
○ Arisu Quality Verification System
- From 2001 to 2010, Seoul waterworks office has plans to invest about 15 billion KRW and 40,000 man-days every year to complete the initiative by 2010. As of 2008 it has completed 1.1 million residences for free.
∙ Total working expenses : 15 billion KRW
∙ The total number of man-days/Year : 40,000 agents
∙ '01~'07 yr : 0.44million(completed)
∙ '08 yr : 0.68 million(completed)

○ Seoul Water-Now System
- From 2001 to 2005, 4.8billion KRW had been invested to establish this system and additional 1.4billion KRW will be invested in order to expand the system until 2009.
∙ Working expenses : '01~'05yr(4.8billion KRW)
'08~'09yr(1.4billion KRW)

Sustainability and Transferability

  Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
- To secure the continuous trust in Seoul tap water from citizens, office of waterworks plans to maintain two systems continuously, so the initiative can be sustainable for the future.
- Especially, in the case of Seoul Water-Now System, considering the features of its electronic system it can be sustainable just with the continual maintenance.

- In the situation of the falling of the trust in tap water home and abroad because of reckless development of ground water, precious water resources is being depleted, so by confirming the water quality to citizens directly it is possible to secure the trust in tap water.

- If it is implemented in foreign countries as well as domestic other authorities, it can improve the rate of drinking tap water and reduce the waste of water resources from indiscreet development of ground water.

Lessons Learned

 What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
- Securing professional agents with the abilities of water quality inspection and systematic and repeated education for them.

- Improving citizens' trust in tap water and transparency and accountability in the public service by letting them verify water quality in person through the on and off-line Real-Time Water Quality Opening Services (Seoul Water-Now System & Arisu Quality verification system)

Contact Information

Institution Name:   Office of Waterworks, Seoul Metropolitan Government
Institution Type:   Government Department  
Contact Person:   YOUNG SEI LEE
Title:   Public Relations Section deputy director  
Telephone/ Fax:   +82-2-3146-1213
Institution's / Project's Website:   +82-2-3146-1149
E-mail:   twofish@seoul.go.kr  
Address:   94 Seosomun-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu
Postal Code:   120-030
City:   Seoul
State/Province:  
Country:  

          Go Back
Print friendly Page