Seo-gu, Gwangju Jeonnam Offers 100,000 Free "Good Water" Bottles at Crosswalks Amid Heat Wave

Refrigerated Lockers Installed at 20 Major Crosswalks
Supplies Provided Three Times Daily Until the 23rd... Support for Vulnerable Groups

As record-breaking heat waves with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius continue, Seo-gu in Gwangju Metropolitan City, Jeollanam-do has launched a practical, daily-life response to the extreme heat by providing free ice-cold bottled water at crosswalks frequently used by residents.

Seo-gu announced on the 9th that, starting from the 7th, it has been operating the "Good Water" sharing project by installing refrigerated storage lockers at 20 major crosswalks in the district with high foot traffic, making the service available to all residents.

Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City in Jeonnam Province, started the "Kind Water" sharing project on the 7th, installing refrigerated storage boxes at 20 major crosswalks with high pedestrian traffic in the district and providing free ice-cold water to citizens. Photo provided by Seo-gu

The project is designed so that pedestrians, who are often exposed to the heat for extended periods, can cool down and rehydrate while they are on the move. A key feature of the initiative is that people can access both shaded areas and ice-cold bottled water along their usual routes—without the need to seek out separate facilities such as designated cooling centers.

Seo-gu plans to run the refrigerated storage lockers through August 23, supplying a total of 100,000 bottles of ice-cold water. One hundred bottles will be provided at each site three times a day—at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m.

The chilled water is available free of charge to anyone who needs it, including seniors who frequently walk outdoors in the heat, outdoor workers, delivery workers, and the general public. Seo-gu is encouraging a "one bottle per person" guideline to ensure as many residents as possible can benefit.

With this initiative, Seo-gu seeks to expand the heatwave safety net beyond traditional facility-based responses by covering everyday spaces where people travel throughout their day.

Seo-gu mayor Kim Ikang stated, "On days when just a minute's walk makes sweat pour down, I hope that meeting a cold bottle of water along the way offers our citizens a moment of happiness and a small sense of healing." He added, "Since heat waves have become a major disaster threatening residents’ safety and health, we will continue with attentive and meticulous measures that residents can feel and experience directly in their daily lives."

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