Nearly 1,000 complaints filed about discolored tap water in Pohang

Nearly 1,000 complaints have been filed in a week concerning suspicions of tap water contamination in Pohang, a port city in North Gyeongsang Province.

Pohang City said Sunday that 925 complaints were lodged Aug. 10-16, reporting black or reddish tap water.

The most number of complaints came from residents in Nam-gu, whose water is filtered at a plant in Yugang-ri, a neighborhood in the city’s southern district.

A Pohang resident found their tap faucet water filter to have turned brown after only two hours of usage. (Yonhap)

According to the city government, North Gyeongsang Province’s public institute of health and environment tested 111 samples of tap water at the district and found the water quality to be suitable for drinking.

The city believes the discoloration could be due to high levels of manganese found in the waterworks.

A Pohang official said the city will remove the sediments from the water pipes, and devise plans to deter reoccurrence of tap water discoloration.

By Kim Arin (arin@heraldcorp.com)