도서지역 용수공급 체계에 관한 고찰

Abstract

Abstract A Study of Water Supply and Use in Small Islands An "island" is defined as any piece of land surrounded by water. Due to their inherent geographical features, many islands often suffer inveterate difficulty in attaining water and are vulnerable to natural disasters. On the other hand, only 29% of residents receive their water through municipal water supply systems. Accordingly, most residents suffer from a shortage of drinking water even after a slight drought. The water supply on small islands is provided via various sources, including rainwater, surface water, groundwater, desalination, importation, and water reuse. Water demand, however, cannot be satisfied, as the accessible quantity remains very limited. Emergency drinking water can be supplied from naval bases or K-water, especially in bad weather conditions like droughts and hurricanes. In addition, a variety of development projects are currently proceeding in the southwestern area (where most of small islands are located), so site-specific water supply and management are required to support increased water demand. This study aims (1) to investigate current water supply and management in small islands, (2) to analyze its problems and limitations, and (3) to suggest the methods for improvement. Literature and questionnaire surveys show that surface water, desalinated water, and groundwater are major water resources in small islands. The largest amount of water is supplied from surface water, while the largest number of islands receive supplies from groundwater. Each water resource, however, suffers from particular limitations: including water shortages and high salinity with groundwater, eutrophication caused by biological pollutants in surface water, and requirements for professional management when using desalination systems. Therefore, it is important to establish a water supply plan, which employs multiple water resources to overcome the limitations of each water resource and to prepare for problems with major water resources. UNESCO and Asian Development Bank recommend that the hydrological and socio-economic characteristics of each island should be considered in water management, in order to establish the appropriate policy and to meet the particular requirements thereof. They also provided a list of considerations in water supply planning, in order to prevent the ommission of essential items. Some of these, such as governance, public participation, and climate change adaptations, should be employed in water supply policy and management in South Korea. This study suggests several methods to improve the water supply and management of small islands: (1) a preliminary and comprehensive study of each island's current situation and history, (2) comparison of available water resource's adaptability and environmental friendliness, (3) simultaneous establishment of water supply plans by designing development projects, and (4) professional management and public participation.