Evaluation of Groundwater Quality for Drinking in Response to an Emergency in Busan

This study aims to assess the water quality of 343 groundwater samples used for drinking in emergency situations in the Busan region, focusing on physicochemical and biological contaminants, as well as radon and uranium. The proportion of groundwater facilities exceeding the Korean drinking water quality standard was 18.4% (63 sites). Microbial indicators such as total coliforms, total colony counts, and fecal coliforms, were detected at a high rate of 90%. To reduce microbial contamination, the management of the groundwater facilities should focus on disinfection and cleaning. The concentrations of radon and uranium were found to range from ND to 138 Bq/L and ND to 22 μg/L, respectively, with little correlation between these natural radioactive materials (r = 0.105). Hardness showed the highest positive correlation with chloride and sulfate ions, and this is considered to be an effect of topography rather than external water pollution. Monitoring data on hardness, chloride ion, nitrate as nitrogen, radon and uranium from groundwater were visualized on the Busan map to illustrate the distribution of major contaminants. These findings provide valuable information for developing groundwater monitoring policies.