전남광주 시민단체 “서남권 반도체 용수, 동복댐 증설 대신 하수처리수 재이용을”

The citizens of South Jeolla Province's Gwangju have expressed their opposition to the government's plan to increase the capacity of the Dongbok Dam by raising its height by 15 meters, which would provide an additional 250,000 cubic meters of water to supply the semiconductor industry in the South West Republic industrial zone. The Gwangju Citizens' Organization, the Gwangju Environmental Conference, and the Democratic Party of South Jeolla Integrated Party have held a press conference to propose alternative solutions.

They argue that the Dongbok Dam expansion project would entail a staggering budget of 1 trillion won for construction, land compensation, and pipe construction, and would result in environmental and social damage, such as flooding and displacement of residents. Moreover, they assert that increasing the dam's water retention capacity alone cannot ensure stable water supply in the face of extreme floods and droughts caused by climate change.

The organization suggests that the government should first verify whether the reuse of sewage water can be maximized and serve as a core source of water for semiconductor industries before proceeding with the dam expansion. They also propose a comparison between the two methods of water supply - raising the dam and reusing sewage water from existing sewage treatment facilities.

The organization urges the local community to ensure that residents' consent and social consensus are secured over the speed of the project, and warns that as the demand for water increases not only in semiconductor industries but also in data centers, the competition between fresh water and industrial water will become even more intense.