Refurbishing Four Rivers Has Multiple Benefits
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Environment Minister Lee Maan-ee has been criticized for his enthusiasm toward a costly state project to refurbish the four main rivers of the country, particularly during the National Assembly inspection of his administration earlier this month.
Sixteen reservoirs will be created to secure water resources for industrial and agricultural sites while water purification will be conducted in the Han River metropolitan area, the Nakdong River in Gyeongsang Province, the Geum River in Chungcheong Province and the Yeongsan River in Jeolla Province.
Leisure towns and cultural facilities will be established to attract millions of people to the riversides, boosting eco-friendly tourism, officials said.
In an interview with The Korea Times, Lee showed confidence and drive for the unprecedented project.
The Korea Times:
Could you explain the reason for your ministry's passion about a project that seems to be more related to the construction industry than environment?
Lee Maan-ee:
That is a misconception caused by some people's confusion of the Four River Project with the Grand Canal Project, which was the main commitment of President Lee Myung-bak, building wide-waterways across the nation for distribution and logistics. I think that's why many people suspect the plan to be a simple construction agenda.
Water has become ever more important to human lives. It isn't just for drinking but it is also a crucial element for industrial plants and others. The river refurbishment project is to secure water storage of rivers and upgrade their quality to better people's lives.
The nation has been struggling with drought and other natural causes that are depleting water resources.
Take Nakdong River for instance. Since it lacks sufficient water to clean itself, all the pollutants remain and affect the whole ecosystem. Last time, a dioxane leakage from a plant near the river alarmed the nation. If the river was in good condition, it could have been purified in no time. Nature and the ecosystem would have been strong enough to handle it.
What we are aiming to do is to secure a sufficient amount of water for drinking, run factories and other purposes.
Water quality management is also very important. Through the project, we will enhance the quality of the rivers over grade-2 swimmable level. It will be realized through the establishment of 645 sewage-management systems from households and 37 from industrial sites as well as 20 for livestock excretion disposal. The plan will allow a total of 3,444 kilometers of drainage pipes to be laid or repaired too.
What are your thoughts on such concerns that straightening winding streams and weirs could slow the velocity of the water and ruin the whole ecosystem eventually.
If we secure enough clean water in the upper stream, it will not be a problem. We are planning to strengthen regulations on effluents by 10 times, which will allow no space for pollutants.
It takes 273 days and 153 days for pollutants at Soyangho and Chungjuho, both artificial lakes created through dam construction, pass through waterways. Their biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) marked 1.1 milligrams per liter each, quite alright compared to natural ones. What matters is how the upper stream is managed, not what kind of river or lake it is.
The construction ministry is also planning to install moveable weirs to deal with deposits piled at the bottom of the reservoir, so that the quality of the water can be controlled to a certain point.
It sounds quite ironic that rivers which are to be refurbished for the environment's sake will turn into a place for leisure and entertainment. The ferries, large pensions and resorts all sound like another pollutant.
Water quality management should come ahead of all others in the refurbishing project.
But, also, we believe that the project will raise public awareness of the importance of a clean environment.
For a very long time, the river has not been very popular among people. Only those trying to wash their cars or fishing illegally have visited the riverside. I think people think they aren't as clean as mountains or other natural places.
I hope all people can enjoy being surrounded by nature and appreciate it. It could bring motivation to continue quality management in the end.
We sense a change in the government's concept toward the environment. Before, your organization was often portrayed as the ``warrior against development.''
I see the environment as great capital. These days, apartments surrounded by good nature are the most expensive. People have come to enjoy nature as it is.
If we try to regulate them, it will create lots of problems. The best way is to encourage people to make wise use of nature.
I say we give incentives and motivations to those who make the best out of the environment ― they may build tall apartments on the hillside, on condition of not ruining the hill and leaving the trees. The environment should be capital, not a cost.
With the river refurbishing project, I hope people will enjoy their weekends at the riverside, enjoy the scenery, and go back with happy hearts, just as you do when you climb the mountains and get away from stress.