Seoul City said Tuesday that it will install advanced water treatment systems in all water filtering centers by next year as part of its efforts to improve the quality of tap water.

All Seoul water will go through an ozone treatment with the advanced water treatment system. Currently, only two out of six water filtering centers are equipped with the system.

This is part of the city’s policies for improving the quality of tap water.

Seoul City will also finish the replacement of old water pipes in the city by 2018. Since 1984, over 95 percent of gray cast iron or galvanized iron pipes ― 13,200 kilometers ― have been replaced with ones that barely rust, the city said.

The city will also launch a pilot project for supplying water directly to high-rise apartments, bypassing the water tanks on rooftops. According to city officials, a direct supply system will increase the safety of water and reduce electricity costs.

By Lee Hyun-jeong (rene@heraldcorp.com)