The storage rate of the Obong Reservoir, which supplies water for daily use in the Gangneung area of Gangwon Province experiencing severe drought, has fallen to 13.8%. If the storage rate drops below 10%, the city of Gangneung plans to supply tap water to citizens on a timed and alternate-day basis.
According to the Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC), as of 5:10 p.m. on the 3rd, the storage rate of the Obong Reservoir is recorded at 13.8%, down by 0.4 percentage points from the previous day (14.2%). The normal storage rate is 71.6%.
Previously, the city of Gangneung suspended the supply of agricultural water on the 30th of last month as the storage rate of the Obong Reservoir fell below 15%. Since the 20th of last month, Gangneung had restricted household water meter valves to 50% in order to reduce the supply of tap water to half of the usual amount, but as the drought situation worsened, it further restricted the valves to 75% starting on the 31st of last month. However, the storage rate continues to decline.
The restriction of water supply by limiting the water meter to a certain level is left to the discretion of each household. The city of Gangneung is checking with water meter readers to see if citizens are cooperating.
Additionally, the city of Gangneung has closed 47 public restrooms and suspended operations at three swimming pools. The day before, it also stopped operations at two youth cafes in the out-of-school youth support center.
About 140 vehicles supported by the fire department and the military transported a total of 6,482 tons of water to the Obong Reservoir and Hongje Water Treatment Plant. The 5,000-ton patrol boat Sam Bong-ho from the Coast Guard was also deployed. Sam Bong-ho supplied water to fire trucks at the unloading dock of the Gangneung Anin Power Plant. Sam Bong-ho can supply enough domestic water for 50 fire trucks. Thanks to this, the inconvenience of fire trucks going to and from nearby areas such as Yangyang, Donghae, and Pyeongchang to get water has been alleviated.
The Donghae Regional Coast Guard plans to deploy four vessels, starting with the Sam Bong-ho, for water supply support until the 9th.