As the heatwave raises river water temperatures in parts of South Gyeongsang Province, tap water supplied to households is turning lukewarm.
Surge in Nakdong River Raw Water Temperature Cited as Cause
According to Changwon City and other sources on the 3rd, in Changwon and some cities and counties in South Gyeongsang Province that use the Nakdong River and other sources as raw water, rising river water temperatures caused by the heatwave are pushing up the temperature of tap water drawn from and purified from these sources.
Excluding riverbank filtration water (a method that draws river water filtered through the sand layer beneath a riverbed), water treatment plants in the Changwon area that use Nakdong River water as raw water recorded produced-water temperatures of around 32 degrees as of the end of last month. This marks a sharp jump in just over four months from a water temperature near 9 degrees in March, when spring was beginning. Other cities and counties in the province that draw surface water from rivers are said to be in a similar situation.
The rise in water temperature cannot be explained by a single cause. In addition to the river water itself being warmed by the heatwave, the time water spends exposed to sunlight while sitting in outdoor sedimentation basins during the purification process is also cited as a factor pushing up the temperature. On top of this, there is a possibility that the temperature rises once more due to the influence of geothermal heat in the pipe sections through which water travels to homes.
Warm Water Even When Cold Tap Is Turned On... Residents Baffled
The number of residents directly experiencing this change is also increasing. According to Yonhap News, one resident living in Seongsan-gu, Changwon, recently felt that the tap water had become noticeably lukewarm. A few days ago in the evening, while trying to wash tomatoes at the sink, the water was lukewarm and left an unpleasant feeling, so the resident ended up mixing in cold water from a water purifier to wash them.
Similar accounts have followed on social media (SNS). One user said, "In Changwon, while doing the dishes, I turned it all the way to the coldest setting, but warm water keeps coming out." Below the post, comments followed such as "So it wasn't just my house," "While taking a warm shower it was too hot, so I turned it toward cold water, but warm water keeps coming out," and "I have to wash vegetables with water purifier water."
Local Government: "No Cooling Facilities"
A Changwon City official said, "Originally, tap water temperature is greatly affected by air temperature, so it varies somewhat by season," while adding, "This year's heatwave has been unusually severe, so the water temperature seems to have risen much more than usual." The official explained, "Because there are no regulations regarding water temperature, which is not a water quality item subject to strict legal management, there is no such device to technically cool the water at the treatment plant."
A South Gyeongsang Province official also stated, "In general, during summer, since air temperatures are high, complaints about lukewarm water do come from some cities and counties." The official added, "When tap water leaves the treatment plant, it is stored in a distribution reservoir (storage tank) before going to each household, and being summer, the temperature can rise during this process."
At this rate, could there be as many as 116 heatwave days in a year?
