Yoon Ja-young is in charge of articles translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times. She is interested in improving the newspaper through AI.
K-water leading smart innovation
Employees of K-water check the quality of tap water at a home in Paju, Gyeonggi Province in this file photo. K-water applies ICT in the production and supply of tap water, thus enhancing residents’ trust in the quality of the water. / Courtesy of K-water
By Yoon Ja-young
By Yoon Ja-young
Water, an essential part of human life, has never been easy to control. Climate change and urbanization have made water an expensive resource, the cause of international conflicts and one of the top global risks chosen by the World Economic Forum.
K-water is suggesting “smart” as an answer, applying the latest ICT to maximize efficiency in water resources management. The state-run company presented a “smart water management initiative” at the World Water Forum.
From rainfall to faucet
K-water applies ICT for comprehensive management of water, from rainfall to faucet. The smart water management initiative starts with making accurate forecast to prepare for natural disasters. Radar and satellites are also used to gather real-time information, and integrate this around the country. ICT also helps maximizing the use of water while minimizing loss of water resources.
The smart water management by K-water is most notable in flood control and management of dams, which hold 65 percent of the water supply nationwide.
At the water management center of K-water in Daejeon, there is a huge status board. It shows rainfall, water levels, and inflows and outflows at the 50 dams and reservoirs it controls. The data is collected via the Mugunghwa 5 Satellite, and sent to the water management center. The video images of the dams and power generation at hydroelectric power plants are shown in real time.
The information has been stored in a database since the construction of the dams. By using big data, the center can make forecasts for droughts. By analyzing inflows and optimal outflows from dams, as well as the quality of the water downstream, the center makes diverse decisions regarding supply.
ICT-based water management shows its power during floods.
“Korea is in fact in an adverse position vis-à-vis water management. Rainfall is concentrated in the summer and rivers have steep gradients. This often causes floods because water flows downstream very quickly,” a spokesman for K-water said.
“Hence, our management center must have correct information on the situation both upstream and downstream of the dam to make the right decision, successfully controlling any flood. The real time information system based on the latest ICT does its part here,” he explained.
To control floods, decisions have to be made regarding the discharge at gates in the dams, taking into account future rainfall. K-water uses its own rainfall forecast system based on predictions from a super computer. It thus determines the optimal discharge that minimizes impacts downstream.
K-water developed the K-water Hydro Intelligent Toolkit, a comprehensive water management system based on ICT and its 40 years of knowhow. A number of countries including Thailand, Algeria and Romania are considering adopting the system. It includes all details of water management, from forecast, flood analysis and supply of water to power generation and the real-time information at the dam gates. Thanks to the system, the supply of water stood at 112 percent of demand last year though rainfall totaled only 82 percent of the norm.
ICT is also applied in the production and supply of tap water. Through the “smart water city project,” K-water can better control the quality of tap water in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. After the project, the ratio of Paju residents drinking tap water increased to 19.3 percent from the previous 1 percent. Over 80 percent of the residents said they are satisfied with the water quality.