In discussing efficient maintenance strategies for aging water supply facilities in Seoul, we will outline the current situation, necessity, future outlook, data management issues, and recommendations.
Currently, water supply facilities in Seoul include intake facilities, treatment plants, reservoirs, and the pipelines connected to each process. Many of these facilities have exceeded their useful life, with 33.7% of water pipelines being over 30 years old as of 2023. Notably, the Gwangam Water Treatment Plant, which was completed in 1978, has been in operation for over 40 years, highlighting the seriousness of aging infrastructure.
In this context, the current maintenance practices based on legal useful life present significant challenges. Legal useful life does not account for the actual performance of the facilities, which can lead to unnecessary replacement costs. In contrast, advanced countries manage water supply facilities based on durability, often finding that the durability exceeds the useful life, allowing for efficient maintenance based on actual performance.
Looking to the future, it is expected that by 2030, over 50% of water supply facilities in Seoul will exceed their useful life. This creates an urgent need for the replacement of both metal and non-metal pipes.
Moreover, the current data management systems lack integration and make effective data tracking difficult. This hampers proactive maintenance efforts and highlights the need for improved historical data management and connectivity between various asset management systems.
To ensure efficient maintenance, several recommendations can be proposed. First, it is essential to transition to durability-based maintenance strategies to extend the replacement cycles of aging facilities. Second, improvements to data management systems are necessary for accurate assessments of facility performance and costs. Lastly, developing historical data analysis models for maintenance planning will support effective decision-making.
These strategies are crucial for the efficient maintenance of aging water supply facilities in Seoul and are expected to contribute to the safe and sustainable management of water resources in the future.