North Koreans buy river water from pullcarts as pipes freeze solid

Cases of water pipes freezing or exploding have occurred throughout the northern regions of North Korea amid a protracted cold spell. Locals are taking water directly from rivers or wells as water supplies experience interruptions, with a notable increase in the number of so-called water merchants.

“Water pipes have frozen solid as temperatures remain below -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit) in the border region, including in Hyesan, Kimhyongjik county, and Kimjongsuk county,” a Daily NK source in Ryanggang province said recently. “All homes have been without water for several days, and the authorities have done little about it, so people draw water from the river or wells every day.”

Hyesan residents usually use water from the Yalu River—which is not safe to drink—for laundry and other daily tasks, and use iron-rich well water for drinking. Since one must go to different spots to draw water for different uses, with the long treks and added hassle, some people just buy water to use.

“Households that live near the Yalu River can easily draw water themselves, but those living more than 30 minutes from the river have to spend a lot of time and effort to draw water,” the source said. “So, the number of pullcart merchants who sell water from jugs has soared.”

Water merchants have appeared before, but they usually sold water from wells with water that was reputedly beneficial to one’s health. However, with water supplies cut off for a while due to frozen water pipes, more people are selling water drawn from the Yalu River at prices much lower than those for well water.

“Pullcart merchants sell water from four or five 50-liter jugs that they load onto their carts after drawing it from the Yalu River,” the source said. “They sell the water for 2,500 North Korean won (roughly $0.35) per jug, about half the price of drinking water from a well.”

“People who can’t or are too busy to draw water themselves buy at least one jug from the pullcart merchants, and as the number of such people grows, the merchants make 10,000 to 15,000 won ($1.40-$2.10) a day,” the source said. “The pullcart merchants, who saw their earnings drop this month with state smuggling at a standstill, can at least make a living by selling water.”

The situation is much the same in Sinuiju, North Pyongan province.

“In almost every neighborhood in Sinuiju, including Paegun and Kunhwa neighborhoods, nobody gets tap water with water pipes frozen due to the cold spell, so there’s a daily ‘war’ to draw water,” a source in North Pyongan province said. “The number of water merchants who—taking this as an opportunity—sell water from handcarts has increased this month.”

“It’s hard to make a living with commerce at a standstill, so many people have become water merchants, even mobilizing their children on vacation from school to pull handcarts, in the hope of making a bit of money since they can at least draw some water,” the source said. “Selling water seems to be becoming a new way to make a living.”

Water merchants usually draw their water from a well in Sokha village and sell it for around 8,000 won ($1.10) for six 10-liter jugs.

Recently, longtime water merchants and newcomers have argued over prices.

Merchants who recently jumped into the game due to the cold spell have lowered their prices to around 500 won to win the regular customers of the existing water merchants, leading to arguments.

Meanwhile, with the cold spell freezing not only water pipes but also sewage pipes, most people are simply tossing their wastewater outside. The wastewater then freezes in the cold, creating sheets of ice that cause accidents, with young children and older people slipping and falling.

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