Dongbok Dam faces drought alert; Gwangju and South Jeolla Province urge water conservation

Authorities in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province are calling on citizens to conserve water as the Dongbok Dam, a critical water source for the Gwangju metropolitan area, experiences a significant drop in its reservoir level. The cumulative rainfall in the Dongbok Dam basin has reached only 548.5 millimeters as of August 11, a mere 42% of the previous year's total.

Consequently, the dam's water level has fallen to 48.94%, prompting the drought response level to be elevated from "interest" to "caution" on August 8. This level indicates that the current water supply can only sustain approximately 150 days of domestic use without additional rainfall.

The Gwangju Metropolitan City Waterworks Headquarters is implementing measures to ensure a stable water supply, including adjusting production at the Yongyeon and Deoknam water treatment plants and continuously monitoring water sources and treatment operations. However, they emphasize the crucial role of public cooperation in managing the situation.

To mitigate the impact of the drought, the Waterworks Headquarters has provided a list of simple water-saving tips for daily life. These include using a cup when brushing teeth, adjusting faucet flow rates, utilizing the shower function on sink faucets, installing water-saving showerheads, consolidating laundry loads, and using a basin for washing dishes. Officials stressed that voluntary water conservation by citizens is vital to overcoming the drought.

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Citizens' voluntary water conservation efforts will be a great help in overcoming the drought. We will continue to closely monitor the drought situation and do our best to ensure a stable water supply.