Water for Life and Green Growth

By Lee Maan-ee

Minister of Environment

``Mangyangjeong,'' a well-known painting by Jeong Seon (1676-1759) of the Joseon Kingdom, depicts an elegant pavilion on a steep hill with noble pine trees and a river flowing like a lively mullet.

What attracted me first in the painting is neither the beautiful pavilion nor the noble pine trees standing against the strong sea wind. It was the deep running river itself.

``Dano-do,'' the most favored folk painting by Shin Yun-bok (1758-?), is known for depicting the ambiance of a peaceful village where ladies are playing along a small stream stretching their bare feet into peacefully flowing water.

The meaning of Dano-do is quite different to me these days ― for many reasons.

Rivers are a significant foundation for the healthiness and livelihood of many Koreans, and it is clearly evidenced as the recent severe droughts hitting part of the country.

In the recently published OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Environmental Outlook to 2030, the possibility of a water crisis by 2030 is forecast, which means that more than 3.9 billion people would suffer from severe water shortages worldwide. The report also warns that if we fail to take immediate action ― all sectors of society ― to deal with the water challenges, the most feared scenario could be a reality in the near future.

A few days ago, I visited Imha Dam located in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. What I felt there was that damage caused by drought was worse than those notified by experts based on their field investigations. I observed the entirely empty Imha Dam showing a cracked bottom with no drop of water.

Today, the Ministry of Environment estimates that there are about 120,000 people suffering from water shortages caused by drought in this nation. Those include citizens in such regions as Andong and Yeongdeok in North Gyeongsang Province and Taebaek in Gangwon Province. The situation calls for prompt action such as the emergency provision of clean water and water quality control. The government is delivering clean and safe water to the affected regions, even with fire engines and military vehicles, and allocates special budgets for drilling water wells in the affected areas. In some regions, the drilling and development of water wells has been already successfully completed, which helps relieve shortages there. More comprehensive measures to address the drought have been developed and are now in place.

In order to prevent potential water shortages in the future, as well as to address the ongoing drought, the government will intensify its efforts to complete its works on national water management ahead of the schedule on constructing or expanding the drinking-water supply system in rural areas and islands, which are especially prone to droughts. It also plans to support the construction of small-scale reservoirs and underground dams at 50 locations to secure clean water supply for villages in rural areas. The target for the tap water supply ratio in those areas will be 75 percent by 2012.

Along with such efforts, the ministry plans to enhance efficiency and competitiveness of the water service system by restructuring the current 164 small-sized water supply areas into about 30 medium-sized regions for optimal water distribution.

We are also working toward resolving the current water-supply imbalance problems between regions with the adoption of the integrated management of water supply based on an optimal scale of service operation.

Furthermore, in an effort to ensure safe supply of drinking water, the ministry plans to expedite its current task of replacing old water pipes to reduce the water leakage ratio from the current 13 percent to 8 percent, the performance level of advanced countries, by 2015. Harvesting of rainwater and the use of graywater will be also be promoted by introducing new regulations which require mandatory installation of rainwater harvesting and water reuse facilities for public office buildings, large apartment and industrial complexes.

Efforts for sewage and wastewater reclamation and reuse are also key policy objectives. Projects on these areas are now being undertaken. The Korean market for them is estimated to be about $2 billion in the next 5 years.

The ministry believes that such efforts will contribute to maximizing efficiency in the use of limited water resources, as well as laying the foundation for promoting the water reuse sector as a new water industry.

We are confident that continued advancement of the water reuse industry and our world's best sea water desalination technology will help guarantee supply of drinking water and serve as a springboard for extending the water industry abroad.

In order to support the above-mentioned plans and projects in a more fundamental and systemic manner, more comprehensive and long-term plans are necessary. The national plan for restoring four major rivers has been devised in this context under the leadership of President Lee Myung-bak. The plan will provide the very basis for securing a clean and adequate water supply to our citizens for the next 100 years.

The projects under the plan are designed to ensure a stable water supply and to restore the ecosystems of the four major rivers. Those works also serve toward the Green New Deal Policy, which is designed to overcome the current economic hardships by making investments in green projects, such as expanding water channeling capacity of the rivers, building mid- to small-sized eco-friendly dams and creating eco-parks and bicycle paths along the river sides.

Water is an essential source of our life and the efforts for conservation of water are a source of green growth. Each and every citizen should actively participate in the efforts to secure a clean and safe drinking water supply and enhance water conservation as a part of everyday life. Needless to say, the government has to play a proactive role in water conservation. Small steps taken today will become the most valuable legacy we can hand over to the next generation.

The United Nations designated March 22 of every year as ``World Water Day.'' I hope that by observing World Water Day, all citizens think over what we can do to conserve our water environment as described in Shin Yun-bok's painting, where people can put their feet in the stream and wash their hair with the stream water to stay cool.