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The Busan Health and Environment Research Institute investigated the water quality and sand of Haeundae and Songjeong Beaches, which open first in June for the summer vacation season, and found that they satisfied all environmental standards of the Act on the Use and Management of Beaches.
In the beach water quality survey, the detection level of enterococci (100MPN/100mL based on water quality) and Escherichia coli (500MPN/100mL based on water quality), which are indicators of waterborne diseases, was confirmed.
As a result, Haeundae Beach had enterococci of 0-5MPN/100mL and Escherichia coli 0-10MPN/100mL, which was within 5% of the water quality standard, and Songjeong Beach also had enterococci of 0-16MPN/100mL and Escherichia coli 0-63MPN/100mL, respectively.
In the white sand survey, the degree of detection of a total of five items, including cadmium, arsenic, lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium, which are harmful heavy metals, was confirmed. Lead was detected at 5.5~8.0mg/kg, which is a very low concentration compared to the environmental safety management standards for white sandy beaches, and mercury and hexavalent chromium were not detected at both beaches.
An official from the Busan Health and Environment Research Institute said, “We conducted a water quality and sand survey before the opening of the remaining five beaches in Busan (Dadaepo, Songdo, Gwangalli, Ilgwang, and Imrang) that will open on July 1, and opened for safe swimming for beach users. We plan to strengthen and conduct water quality inspections twice a month during the middle of the year and once a week during the peak season.”
In addition, he said, “As daily recovery is in full swing after the downward adjustment of the COVID-19 crisis level, many vacationers are expected to visit the beach, so we will work harder to manage beach water quality for safe and pleasant use.”
Survey results are promptly provided to the competent district and county offices, and can also be checked on the Busan City Health and Environment Information Disclosure System (heis.busan.go.kr).
