Paek Ho, head of Seoul Waterworks Authority.

Seoul Waterworks Authority has finally fixed a 20-year-old problem involving its tap water related to the installment of flowmeters.

The solution involves a novel idea of using big data at water level gauges that have already been established. The idea would dramatically save money for the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG).

SMG developed the tentatively named Reservoir Letdown Flow Provision System for the first time in the nation.

The newly developed system uses real-time big data collected by water gauges which were already installed at reservoirs. It is capable of automatically calculating outflow water volume by developing operation expression on any given relation between reservoir water levels and flow volumes.

The system, adopting ICT technologies, can exactly grasp water usage volumes without installing letdown water flowmeters at reservoirs.

The installation of the new system costs 98.56 million won, bringing an identical effect of installing a water flowmeter, which costs the Seoul Metropolitan Government some 4.6 billion won.

Reservoirs refer to large water tanks installed at high altitudes areas to supply tap water. They serve not only as a facility to stabilize tap water supply, but also as an emergency water supply in the case of emergencies.

Flowmeters are used to measure flow volume of tap water pipelines like water transmission volumes, reservoir volumes and displacement volumes. They are essential tools to analyze leakage symptoms and ensure the stable supply of water at reservoirs.

Under regulations set by the Ministry of Environment, all reservoirs were required to have letdown water flowmeters installed starting in 2001. But reservoirs built before the enforcement of the regulations cannot install flowmeters due to environmental and technological limitations.

Real-time letdown water flow measurement data are essential to discover leakage symptoms or used in the course of water stoppage and conducting water leakage works, an SMG official said.

The installment of flowmeters at water reservoirs has become a long-standing issue for local governments across the nation.

A pilot program of test-operating the Reservoir Letdown Flow Provision System targeting eight reservoirs showed that the system realized a high accuracy rate of more than 98 percent. SMG plans to have the remaining 48 reservoirs installed with the Reservoir Letdown Flow Provision System.

Paek Ho, head of Seoul Waterworks Authority, said, “The introduction of Reservoir Letdown Flow Provision System has enabled to build up reservoir flowmeter infrastructure, a 20-year-old long-standing dilemma.” The system has enabled to determine water leakage symptoms and ensure the stable and efficient water supply at reservoirs, he added.

A view of Seoul Waterworks Authority headquarters in Seosomun-ro, Seoul. (Photos: Seoul Waterworks Authority)