Largest Army base in South Korea has no running water over holiday weekend
Soldiers at the Army’s primary base in South Korea have no running water and won’t have any through the weekend, service officials said on Friday.
Officials said that a mechanical failure left taps dry across Camp Humphreys, 40 miles south of Seoul, but that fixes would be delayed through the weekend due to a Korean holiday. This weekend marks the three-day Chuseok harvest festival, which extends over Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week.
As a result of the holiday, officials said, U.S. troops, families and contractors on base could be without running water until Monday.
A post on the base’s Facebook page said that several services were closed. “All [recreational] facilities, AAFES food services, AAFES Main Exchange, Zoeckler Mini Mall, Troop Mini Mall, Sentry Mini Mall, and 3rd MI Express are suspended,” the post said. “The 24-hour Family Mini Mall remains operational.”
Dining facilities, officials said, remain open.
The base gets approximately 70% of its water from the nearby city of Pyeongtaek, while the remaining 30% is sourced from wells on the base, according to previous reporting by Stars and Stripes.
Base officials said nine “water buffalo” tanks were available around Camp Humphreys but that personnel would need to bring their own containers to fill. Army photo by Spc. Matthew Marcellus.
Camp Humphreys is the largest overseas U.S. military installation, and home to the 2nd Infantry Division. The installation has an on-base population of about 45,000 service members, civilians, contractors, and their families. Many, though not all, soldiers on base are on unaccompanied tours without families.
Army officials have not said how many troops are impacted by the water shortage.
A basewide notification of the water shortage went out across Camp Humphreys on Friday, Sept. 25, at about 8 p.m.
A Camp Humphreys Facebook page has posted updates on the shortage, noting that the issue affects both drinking water and non-potable water used for sanitary purposes.
Drinking water, officials said, was available from nine “water buffalo” portable tanks around the base. Impacted individuals, officials said, will need to bring their own containers to fill.
With most plumbing out of service, officials said portable toilets were located at the commissary, on-base lodgings and the 24-hour family mini mall.
The base is also allegedly actively working on distributing bottled water, as well.
The Army did not immediately respond to questions from Task & Purpose on the water shortage’s direct cause.
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Camp Humphreys, the largest U.S. military base in South Korea, experienced a water shortage due to a mechanical failure, affecting all taps. The issue is expected to persist through the Chuseok holiday weekend, impacting approximately 45,000 personnel. While dining facilities remain operational, recreational services are suspended, and personnel are advised to use portable water tanks for drinking water.
- Camp Humphreys has no running water due to mechanical failure.
- The water shortage will last through the Chuseok holiday weekend.
- Approximately 45,000 personnel are affected by the water shortage.
- Nine portable water tanks are available for personnel to fill their own containers.
- Dining facilities remain open despite the water shortage.