Photo/Illutration Workers repair a damaged water pipe in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Jan. 15. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Only about 15 percent of Japan’s 25,000 facilities that are considered vital in times of disaster are connected to earthquake-resistant water supply and sewer pipes, a land ministry survey showed on Nov. 1.

These facilities include evacuation centers and base hospitals, and if either of their water or sewer pipes is inoperable, their water supply will be virtually cut off.

The survey results highlight the vulnerability of disaster response facilities nationwide.

“We will provide firm technical and financial support and promote the systematic and intensive seismic upgrading of water supply and sewage systems,” land minister Tetsuo Saito said at a news conference on Nov. 1.

The Noto Peninsula Earthquake, which jolted Ishikawa Prefecture on New Year’s Day, caused prolonged water outages.

In response to the disaster, the ministry conducted a nationwide survey of all water utilities (about 3,800) and sewage system administrations (about 1,500) for the first time from July to October.

Excluding the six municipalities in Ishikawa Prefecture that were still restoring their water supply systems, the survey examined whether major disaster-related facilities could withstand a maximum-level earthquake.

It studied the strength, as of the end of fiscal 2023, of pipes at 24,974 important facilities, such as evacuation centers, hospitals, administrative offices, police departments and fire department buildings.

The results found that only 3,649 of them had earthquake-resistant water pipes connected from water distribution reservoirs and earthquake-resistant sewer pipes, including pump stations, extending to confluence points before sewage plants.

By prefecture, Tokyo had the highest percentage of quake-resistant pipes, at about 52 percent, or 1,544 facilities, followed by Tokushima Prefecture at 30 percent, or 18 facilities.

They were followed by Aomori Prefecture, with 27 percent, or 69 facilities.

Kagawa Prefecture had zero important buildings connected to water and sewage pipes that met earthquake-resistance standards. In Okayama Prefecture, only 0.5 percent of the facilities, or two, met the standards, while the ratio was 0.6 percent, or one facility, in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

To prevent large-scale water outages, including those at ordinary households, experts advise making all areas--from the water source to water distribution reservoirs--earthquake-resistant.

However, the rate of adequately strong pipelines that send water taken from rivers and other sources to water purification plants was only about 34 percent, while the ratio for water treatment plants was about 43 percent, according to the survey.

The ministry has requested operators to set targets for earthquake-resistance of major facilities.

At the same time, the ministry noted that the business environment for these operators is deteriorating due to the declining population and other factors.

The ministry will expand its grant program in fiscal 2025 and further support management efficiency, such as wide-area cooperation.

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