With Gangneung’s water reservoir levels plunging into the 10 percent range, efforts are underway to secure additional water sources. (Yonhap)
GANGNEUNG, South Korea, Aug. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — In the coastal city of Gangneung, residents are grappling with extreme drought that has left their main water source, the Obong Reservoir, at a record low of 17.8 percent of capacity, compared with a seasonal average of 69 percent.
Officials fear the level could soon fall to 15 percent, a threshold that would trigger far stricter water rationing.
Since August 20, households have faced restrictions that limit water meters by half. But as rain remains absent and tourists continue to flood the summer resort town on weekends, residents say the measures are doing little to conserve supplies.
A view of Gangneung’s water reservoir area lying empty. (Yonhap)
On local social media forums, anxiety is palpable. “I never thought the day would come when I’d have to clean the bathroom with wet wipes,” one resident wrote.
Another lamented, “I feel so uncomfortable I can’t even wash my hair.” Others reported saving up laundry for weeks or washing clothes without separating colors.
Posts sharing coping tips — from rinsing hair with bottled water to reusing bathwater to flush toilets — are met with waves of agreement. Some suggest disposable dishes and instant meals as ways to minimize water use.
Parents have voiced fears about potential school closures, with some considering sending children to relatives in other cities if full cutoffs occur.
Frustration has also mounted over what many see as slow government action. Citizens criticized city officials for prioritizing tourism over water security, pointing to the millions who visited local beaches this summer.
Obong Reservoir, Gangneung’s main source of drinking water, should be filled with water but has instead dried up and become overgrown with weeds. (Yonhap)
“It was obvious water would run short, but nothing was done in advance,” one resident complained. Others have demanded restrictions on hotels, pools, and saunas that consume large amounts of water.
For now, residents continue to brace for the possibility of taps running dry. “It’s tough, but we’ll try to endure,” one woman wrote in a neighborhood forum. “We just hope the rain will finally come.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
