Daegu Launches Bank Filtration Demonstration Facility... First Step Toward Resolving 30-Year Water Issue

The government has begun a demonstration experiment on bank filtration water to secure the safety of drinking water for Daegu citizens, marking a full-fledged effort to resolve the water issue in Daegu that has persisted for over 30 years.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced on June 16 that it would hold an inauguration ceremony for the "Nakdong River Bank Filtration Water Demonstration Facility" at the Munsan Water Purification Plant in Dalseong-gun, Daegu. The event will be attended by Daegu Mayor-elect Chu Kyungho and Kim Joungho, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, among others. Bank filtration water refers to water that flows along the gravel and sand layers beneath the riverbed; compared to riverbank filtered water, it has a shallower burial depth and thus a relatively lower filtration effect.

Nakdong River

This demonstration experiment is being promoted to verify the technical stability of switching water intake methods, which is a core task within the "Three-Phase Strategy for Solving Daegu’s Water Issues" presented by the ministry in January of this year. The government has previously set out a three-phase strategy to improve the water quality at major Nakdong River intake sources to Grade 1 by 2030, to proactively filter raw water during the intake process using bank filtration and riverbank filtration methods, and then to introduce customized purification processes.

The demonstration facility was installed near the Munsan Water Purification Plant, which currently serves as the water intake source for Daegu. In a large experimental tank measuring 6 meters in length, 3 meters in width, and 7.5 meters in height, sand and gravel filtration layers were created to simulate an actual bank filtration intake environment. The facility filters more than 30 tons of Nakdong River water per day, analyzing a total of 60 items—including water quality standards such as total organic carbon (TOC), total phosphorus, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), as well as algal toxins and trace hazardous substances. Through this, the government plans to verify both the effectiveness of water quality improvement and the possibility of securing a stable water supply.

The verification results will be evaluated monthly by a joint verification committee consisting of experts, Daegu City, and the central government, and the findings will be released to the public. Based on the demonstration results, the ministry plans to finalize future policy directions in consultation with Daegu City. Although the government and Daegu City have previously considered supplying water from external areas such as Gumi and Andong, progress has been hampered by differing opinions between regions. The government anticipates that, if the effectiveness of the bank filtration method is proven, it will provide a new alternative for resolving Daegu’s water issues.

On this day, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment Kim Seonghwan will visit the Munsan Water Intake Station to inspect the current status of algal blooms and the response measures at the Gangjeong and Goryeong sites. An algal bloom warning has been in effect at these sites since May 18. Minister Kim stated, "Supplying safe drinking water is a fundamental responsibility of the government," adding, "With the operation of the bank filtration demonstration facility as a turning point, we will develop scientific and effective solutions to quickly provide Daegu citizens with water they can drink with confidence."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.