Gwangsan-gu in the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Integrated City is running a "chilled water-sharing refrigerator" program through Sept. 11, giving residents easy access to cold bottled water near their homes as a safeguard against summer heat waves.
The district has installed the refrigerators at 30 high-traffic locations, including the district office, 21 neighborhood administrative welfare centers, welfare facilities, traditional markets and outdoor worksites.
The program aims to help all residents cool down and prevent heat-related illness during the prolonged heat wave, no matter where they are.
Installation sites were expanded to focus on residential areas so that residents most vulnerable to extreme heat — including those who spend time outdoors, outdoor workers and traditional market visitors — can use the service without hesitation.
The refrigerators are available on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and any resident may take one bottle per visit at no charge.
Each location is stocked with 150 bottles per day as a baseline, with supply adjusted as needed based on demand and consumption at each site.
To help residents find the nearest refrigerator, the district plans to share locations and usage information through its official website, social media channels and promotional materials.
"Heat waves are an everyday disaster that threatens the health and safety of our residents," district mayor Park Byeong-gyu said. "I hope many people will take advantage of this and take a moment to cool down and look after their health with a cold bottle of water close to home."
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