By Stephen Satkowski
US Army Corps of Engineers-Far East District Public Affairs
SUWON, South Korea - The Madison Site, a small communications facility near the city of Suwon and about 40 kilometers south of Seoul, has an abundant supply of water thanks to the work of Far East District engineers at the northern resident office.
A new water line installed over the spring and summer of 2014 connected the bottom of the base camp to the operations area, high atop Mount Gwanggyosan, some 700 meters high in elevation.
“Before the start of [construction] on this water line, the K-16 Air Base Department of Public Works had to deliver water in trucks to the operations area,” said Nathan Han, northern resident office project engineer. “The base camp received minimal potable water from the existing wells, but not enough to meet the daily needs of those serving at Madison Site. Installing this new water line solved that issue.”
The geography of the area made the project particularly challenging.
“Excavating and installing a water line on a mountain means minimal use of heavy equipment,” said Han. “Most of the excavation had to be done by hand and the installation had to be done at the proper depth to prevent freezing during the winter.”
During the summertime Mount Gwanggyosan attracts many hikers and safety was a primary concern.
“Chong-hyon Han, our northern resident office quality assurance representative, ensured the work was done safely and with quality, visiting the site three to four times a week,” said Han. “With the teamwork of all involved the project was completed ahead of schedule.”
After a pressure and disinfection test in August, a final inspection was conducted on Sept. 23 and no deficiencies were found.
Madison Site consists of a lower base camp with a dining facility and barracks and an upper site with antennas and microwave relays. Soldiers from the 1st Signal Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division call the site home.