Regional Water Knowledge Hub for
Water Quality Management in River Basins

K-water’s Expertise

Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) has over 40 years’ experience managing water resources and regional water supply systems. ISO9001/14001-certified and a member of the UN Global Compact, K-water is committed to environmental responsibility and transparent and ethical governance as means of optimizing its long-term performance and finding new ways to maximize the utilization of water resources through efficient management and the development of core technologies. As K-water’s research and development arm, the Korea Institute of Water and Environment (KIWE) is Korea’s leading water-specialized research institute. From developing state-of-the-art water management techniques to inventing new processes of water treatment and desalination, KIWE is dedicated to the development of clean and safe water supply systems in Korea and abroad.

K-water’s Services

A government-owned corporation, K-water develops and manages a host of facilities and programs designed to provide the best water supply and water quality available:

• Water resource facilities: K-water operates 12 multi-purpose dams, an estuary barrage and other facilities that satisfy national requirements for flood control, water supply, and hydropower generation. For each river system involved, K-water has implemented an integrated water management system that ensures water quality and the protection of ecosystems.
• Multi-regional water supply systems: To remedy regional water shortages and address emergency situations, K-water’s multi-regional water supply system uses strategically designed water treatment facilities and large-scale pipelines to share drinking water equitably and efficiently throughout a given region.
• Training programs: The K-water Academy conducts both domestic training programs for K-water staff and governmental officials as well as international trainings and technical cooperation and exchange programs for water sector professionals and governmental officials from Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam, and other developing countries.
• Overseas projects: K-water has served Cambodia, Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Mongolia, Viet Nam, and other overseas clients in the areas of wastewater rehabilitation, hydropower development, new water supply systems for housing developments, water resource infrastructure expansion, procurement services and more. K-water has recently undertaken a collaborative project with Indonesia and NARBO to improve water quality in the Citarum river basin.
• Water quality expertise: K-water’s Water Analysis and Research Center is an internationally accredited water quality analysis institution and Korea’s first center for the testing of viruses in drinking water. It promotes international technical cooperation and knowledge exchanges with partner institutions abroad.

K-water’s Knowledge Partners

K-water facilitates regional networking with partners throughout the Asia-Pacific region with a view to sharing knowledge, developing capacity and coordinating services. K-water is a proud member of the Asian Development Bank — Global Water Partnership (ADB-GWP)’s Water Operators Partnership program. Public and private sector organizations interested in joining the regional water knowledge hub on water quality management in river basins are invited to join K-water’s network of international and local partners including the following key knowledge institutions:

• Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD)
• Department of International Cooperation, Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources, the People’s Republic of China
• Japan Water Agency (JWA), Japan
• United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
• UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
• Universities in the Asia-Pacific and elsewhere
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia
• Network of Asian River Basin Organizations (NARBO)
• Perum Jasa Tirta (PJT) I & II, Indonesia

Contact Information

Dr. Ick Hwan Ko Director, Center for Integrated Water Management Telephone: + 82 - 42 870 7400 Email: ihko@kwater.or.kr	Dr. Jeongkon Kim Director, River Management Research Team Telephone: + 82 - 42 870 7470 Email: jkkim@kwater.or.kr
Korea Institute of Water and Environment, K-water 462-1, Jeonmin-Dong, Yusung-Gu, Daejeon, the Republic of Korea 305-730 Fax: + 82 - 42 870 7419 Website: http://www.kwater.or.kr