Almost all watersheds of the Han River join the Total Water Pollution Load Management System

As ‘The Han River system’s water resource quality improvement and residents support Act’ was revised and promulgated on May 31, 2010, the Han River watershed will be totally subject to the Total Water Pollution Load Management System following the three watersheds of Nakdonggang, Geumgang, and Yeongsangang.  

The system aims to calculate allowable water pollutants discharge and control pollution load so as not to make it exceed the allowable level. Managing pollutants’ load as well as concentration, the system is to effectively improve water quality.

According to the revised act, the minister of environment establishes target water quality by each watershed area and fundamental policy to reach and maintain the target and inform mayors and governors of them. Based on the fundamental policy, mayors and governors establish and implement basic plans on pollution load management.

For the past, seven local governments around the Han River watershed -- Gwangju-si, Yongin-si, Namyangju, Gapyeong-gun, Yangpyeong-gun, Icheon-si, and Yeoju-gun -- had implemented the system voluntarily. However, with the revised act, the system will be completely expanded to 26 local governments in Gyeonggi-do, 14 in Gangwon-do, 8 in Chungcheongbuk-do, 4 in Gyeonsangbuk-do, Seoul, and Incheon.