By Park Jong-il, The Herald Business Mapo-gu, led by District Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun, will deploy additional private water sprinkler trucks alongside its existing fleet through Sept. 30 to cool heat-baked roads and ease the urban heat island effect.
As prolonged heat waves and tropical nights continue, sun-scorched asphalt has been radiating heat and raising the perceived temperature for pedestrians.
Road sprinkling reduces radiant heat from asphalt surfaces and lowers the surrounding felt temperature.
The district normally operates five sprinkler trucks of its own — two 12-ton vehicles and three 6-ton vehicles — focusing on side streets. The fleet runs four to five times a day from late March through mid-November, keeping roads clean and reducing airborne dust.
When a heat advisory is issued, private sprinkler trucks will be added to the rotation to cool major arterial roads and combat the urban heat island effect.
The two private 16-ton vehicles will be divided into two zones — Zone A and Zone B.
Zone A covers 12 kilometers, including World Cup Bukno, Yanghwa-ro, World Cup-ro and Gayang-daero. Zone B covers 14.5 kilometers, including Dongmak-ro, Seogang-ro, Baekbeom-ro, Mapo-daero and Sinchon-ro.
The trucks will operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with intensive sprinkling concentrated between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., when temperatures peak. The private trucks will also run four to five times a day, with deployment adjusted based on weather conditions and road circumstances.
At the neighborhood level, the district is partnering with the Saemaul Leaders Council to run smaller sprinkler trucks in alleyways where larger vehicles cannot easily enter.
This year, 11 neighborhoods are taking part, carrying out water-sprinkling operations through early September whenever a heat advisory is in effect, aiming to ease alleyway heat buildup and reduce fine dust.
"The relentless heat is making daily life increasingly difficult for our residents," District Mayor Yoo said. "We will do our utmost to carry out sprinkling operations without gaps — from major roads to everyday alleyways — so that residents can enjoy a safer and more comfortable summer."
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