Reddish tap water was detected in apartment complexes in Seoul on Friday, amid growing concerns over contaminated water after reddish water was first reported in Incheon in late May.

As of Friday afternoon, the Seoul Metropolitan Government recommended some 1,300 households and an elementary school in Mulle-dong in southwestern Seoul stop using tap water.


The municipality has fingered aged water pipes as the cause of the murky water. Results of a detailed analysis are expected to come out in about a week.

The city government sent officials to the scene for an inspection and cleaned the water tanks in the apartment blocks after it received six complaints on contaminated water.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon visited the apartment blocks early Friday morning to check on the situation in person.

“It is humiliating that Seoul city has problems in drinking water. Take measures, such as replacing the aged water supply pipes, by securing an emergency budget,” Park said.

The residents in the apartment complexes are being provided with bottled water and water from the city’s water tank.

The detection of the reddish water comes as Incheon is grappling with its own contaminated tap water problem. Reddish tap water was first reported on May 30, affecting some 10,000 households and 150 schools in the area.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)