Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, asked residents to refrain from using tap water for drinking after "midge larvae" were found at a city water purification plant.
According to Gwacheon on the 6th, on the 3rd the Ministry of Environment, while conducting a sanitation inspection at the Gwacheon Water Purification Plant, discovered a substance suspected to be larvae inside the plant. Midges are small insects that look similar to mosquitoes. The larvae feed on contaminants in mud or water and develop into adults. According to the National Institute of Biological Resources, no harmfulness has been confirmed for midge species known in Korea.
The Ministry of Environment requested testing from the National Institute of Biological Resources and held related discussions with the Han River Basin Environmental Office and the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water).
Following the discovery of a substance suspected to be midge larvae, the city moved to strengthen operation of the plant, shortening operation cycles for each process and conducting chlorine injection and sanitation management.
In an inspection carried out at 11 a.m. that day, larvae were found at some customer sites in the city, and the city activated an emergency response headquarters. The Gwacheon Clean Water Office formed response teams for each scenario and plans to operate around the clock until the situation is fully resolved.
A city official said, "There have been no reports that midge larvae are harmful to the human body, but please refrain from drinking tap water until this situation is over," adding, "Please boil water before drinking or drink bottled water. There is no problem using it as domestic water."
The city plans to prioritize supplying bottled water to educational institutions, welfare facilities, and vulnerable groups in the area. It also requested a detailed epidemiological investigation from the Environmental Office to identify the root cause and fundamental solution. The results will be announced later.