Incheon's Michuhol-gu District (District Chief Kim Jeong-sik) announced that it will operate 'free bottled water fridges' at three heavily trafficked cooling shelters for one month, from July 13 to Aug. 12, to help residents cope with the heat wave.
 [The Korean Today] Information board for the free bottled water fridge © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The program, which has continued since 2024, was designed to allow any resident exhausted by the sweltering heat to access cool bottled water free of charge. This year, the district changed the operating method to a vending machine format so that more residents can use it evenly.
Users can receive cool bottled water simply by pressing a button on the vending machine, with no separate procedure required, and supply is limited to one bottle per person.
The three operating locations are the former Citizens' Hall shelter (Juan-dong), the Singi Intersection shelter (Juan-dong), and Yongjeong Park (Yonghyeon-dong). Each vending machine is supplied with 200 bottles of 500-milliliter water per day.
Operating hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and once the prepared water is exhausted, distribution ends for the day and the machines are restocked the following day.
 [The Korean Today] Free bottled water fridge in operation © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The district plans to gather user feedback through QR codes attached to the vending machines and reflect it in future operational improvements.
A district official said, "As heat waves are becoming more frequent, we designed this program so residents can cool off, even briefly, amid the sweltering heat," adding, "We will continue to pursue heat wave response policies that residents can feel the benefit of on the ground."
With the number of heat wave days increasing every year, the role of neighborhood-level cooling shelters is growing, and this program is seen as a measure to expand the safety net residents can feel in their daily lives. For inquiries about the program, contact Michuhol-gu District Office's General Safety Division at 032-880-4424.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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