Editorial | Hong Kong residents should not be left high and dry
The perception of a slow response to bitumen being found in drinking water does not reflect well on a government focused on livelihood issues
Water is a basic human need and supplying it is a fundamental duty for authorities in cities like Hong Kong. When black particles were found recently in drinking water at two local public housing estates, there was a need for a faster initial response than was delivered.
The debris was first reported on May 30. As speculation about the source grew, some estate residents started buying bottled water. On Wednesday, tests commissioned by media outlets found bitumen, an anti-rust and sealant coating banned from water pipes since 2005.
The following day, authorities released their own tests. Five days after the first formal complaints were filed, Director of Water Supplies Roger Wong Yan-lok confirmed bitumen was in most of the 126 samples from Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling.
He said the material could have been left over from a 2022 incident where there were reports of a large amount of sediment flowing into the pipes of Queens Hill Estate. Wong tried to reassure residents on Thursday that the water was still safe to drink. Filters have been installed and the amount of debris in the water had decreased.
On Friday, officials pledged to step up cleaning efforts. Wong said about 700km of bitumen-lined pipes in the city would need attention. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu convened a high-level meeting later in the day. The chief executive said the incident must be handled quickly so “public concern can be thoroughly eased”.
Lee ordered the immediate replacement of a section of a nearby pipe as part of a 10-point response to be supervised by Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun.