GANGNEUNG — After a 24-year hiatus, the Doam Dam is set to provide emergency water to the city of Gangneung, which is currently facing a severe drought. The city announced on September 10 that it will temporarily accept the emergency water flow from the dam's aqueduct, with a test release anticipated around September 20. This decision comes after a series of intensive water quality tests confirmed the water's safety for public use.

The Ministry of Environment had previously tested the water in the Doam Dam reservoir and the aqueduct. Their findings, conveyed to Gangneung, indicated that after standard treatment processes at a water purification plant, the water is perfectly suitable for domestic use, including drinking. SBS News had exclusively reported on these findings on September 5, highlighting that no water quality assessments had been conducted on the aqueduct's water since the suspension of power generation in 2001.

Water quality tests conducted by the Ministry of Environment revealed that key parameters like Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Suspended Solids (SS), and Chlorophyll-a all met Grade 1 water quality standards. While the Total Phosphorus (TP) level was found to be at Grade 1 or 2, the Korea Water Resources Corporation stated this is a non-binding guideline and can be easily removed during the purification process. Additionally, they explained that since higher TP concentrations were found in the upper layers of the dam, the city can utilize the dam's selective intake tower to draw water from the middle or lower layers, ensuring water quality remains high.

The emergency release will be a pivotal moment for Gangneung. Instead of flowing into the Namdae River, as it did for power generation in the past, the water will be diverted directly to the Hongje Water Treatment Plant. This bypass strategy addresses major concerns raised by Gangneung Mayor Kim Hong-gyu about potential river pollution and the ecological impact of temperature differences. The dam's water is significantly colder—8 to 10 degrees Celsius lower—than the Namdae River's, which could harm fish spawning and other aquatic life. The emergency plan will prevent this by not releasing the water into the river.

The emergency plan is not without its challenges. The 15-kilometer aqueduct, dormant for 24 years, requires some facility improvements. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), which operates the dam, estimates that two weeks are needed for these upgrades. A similar timeframe is required for constructing a temporary barrier to redirect the water from the aqueduct to the purification plant.

Initially, the emergency supply will provide up to 10,000 tons of water per day, a stark contrast to the 350,000 tons daily used for power generation in the past. Despite the smaller volume, city officials have confirmed they will continue to receive the water as long as the drought persists, going beyond the initial 150,000-ton capacity stored within the aqueduct. This sustained supply offers a crucial lifeline for the parched city.