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Sammy Heung

Hong Kong authorities have been urged by lawmakers to disclose the locations of pipes lined with bitumen and to install sensors to monitor water quality after the substance was discovered in the freshwater supply at two public housing estates.
The government previously stated that 700km (434 miles) of water pipes, accounting for 8 per cent of the city’s total water pipe network, had an inner protective coating of bitumen.
Lawmaker and engineer Lo Wai-kwok said on Monday the pipes in question should be replaced as soon as possible and their locations disclosed to the public to avoid a repeat of similar incidents.
“Although we have found the source of the bitumen and installed filters, the public is still worried,” he told a radio programme.
“I think it is alright to reveal the locations of these pipes. Having these coatings does not mean they are an urgent issue, and there are new technologies that can monitor the situation.
“It is necessary for the government to be open and transparent. The public is concerned about which residential buildings are affected by these pipes.”
Residents at Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling reported black particles in their drinking water last month. This prompted some to purchase bottled water amid speculation about the source of the mysterious dark specks.
Authorities were accused of responding slowly, with the Water Supplies Department announcing test results six days after residents’ complaints.
Tests on 126 samples from the affected blocks confirmed that the particles were predominantly bitumen, a substance that has been banned for use in pipes since 2005. However, the water was deemed non-poisonous and not cancer-causing.
Officials believe the source of the particles to be a 400-metre (437 yards) section of steep pipe with a bitumen protective coating on its inner wall, located within the upstream water supply network at Ping Che Road.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Friday ordered authorities to implement 10 measures to address residents’ concerns about water safety in the two public housing estates.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said on Saturday that the 400-metre section would be replaced this year and the Water Supplies Department had been instructed to submit a long-term plan for replacing other pipes with bitumen protective coating across the city.
Additionally, more than 1,000 screen filters have been installed in the remaining 700km of water pipes.

Lo said that authorities had been able to monitor water pipes using new technologies, such as the Water Intelligent Network, a computer system that analysed flow and pressure data from the pipes.
“There are also technologies such as microbots that can clearly show the situation of the pipes. The Water Supplies Department should ramp up their monitoring of the pipes,” he said.
“If relevant particles are found in the filters of a certain section, authorities can see which section of the pipes can be replaced first based on their objective assessment.”
He believed that the government was experienced in conducting pipe replacement works, citing the replacement of 3,000km of pipes between 2000 and 2015.
Lawmaker Edward Lau Kwok-fan suggested installing sensors in the 700km of pipes to monitor water quality and called for a clear timeline for replacement works.
“What happened in [the estates] may not be an individual incident as there are still 700km-long pipes that use bitumen across the city,” he said on the same radio show.
“What happened in [the estates] may also happen in other districts of Hong Kong. We, of course, hope that the government will work to prevent this from happening after identifying the issue.”
While officials said robots would be used to assess the conditions inside the wider pipes, Lau said those inside the residential buildings were too narrow.
Addressing concerns that particles might not be completely flushed away in narrow pipes, he suggested the government could consider using high-pressure water jets.


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Hong Kong housing

Hong Kong lawmakers push for bitumen-lined water pipe replacement and disclosure

Lawmakers have called for the swift replacement of 700km of water pipes containing bitumen in the city. Photo: Handout

A temporary drinking water tank has been installed at Queens Hill Estate in Fanling. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong leader orders ageing water pipes lined with bitumen to be replaced

Staff from the Housing Department and Water Supplies Department visit Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court. Photo: handout

Authorities say the bitumen is believed to have come from a 400-metre-long steel water pipe laid in an area, 2.6km away from the Queens Hill Estate. Photo: Dickson Lee

Water pipe spewing bitumen in 2 Hong Kong estates to start being replaced this year

Government officials visit workers checking water pipes. The city has about 700km of pipes lined with bitumen. Photo: Edmond So

Residents at two housing estate in Fanling have voiced worries over the presence of the black particles in their water supply. Photo: Dickson Lee

Why is Hong Kong slow to tackle ‘ticking time bomb’ of ageing water pipes?

Hong Kong’s waterpipe infrastructure is under pressure from the city’s high population density. Photo: May Tse

Workers repair a 47-year-old water pipe in Tuen Mun that caused a service suspension and disrupted traffic for nine hours last month. Photo: Handout

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn has said anticipated disruptions to traffic are a key hurdle to potential repair and replacement works. Photo: Jonathan Wong

An engineer has said the city’s budget deficit woes mean authorities have fewer resources to replace or repair ageing pipes. Photo: Eugene Lee

News

Hong Kong

Society

Calls made to expedite replacement of 700km of water pipes containing banned substance, accounting for 8 per cent of city’s network


Calls made to expedite replacement of 700km of water pipes containing banned substance, accounting for 8 per cent of city’s network.


Hong Kong water supply

Hong Kong society

Infrastructure

Hong Kong environmental issues