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Hong Kong's tainted water scare

A number of Hong Kong's housing estates found themselves at the centre of a tainted water scandal after tests commissioned by the Democratic Party in June 2015 showed that samples taken from tap water in Kai Ching Estate in Kowloon City contained amounts of lead exceeding WHO standards. Subsequent tests by the government showed water samples from at least two other public estates, in Kwai Chung and Sha Tin, also contained excessive lead.

last updated:

9 September, 2024

A boy fetches water from newly installed temporary pipes at Kai Ching Estate in August 2015 after investigations revealed excessive levels of lead in the piped water. Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong

Opinion | As Legco polls draw near, a lesson from the lead-in-water scandal

While efforts to ensure competition in the upcoming election are welcome, a truly improved system would give lawmakers the political room to do the sort of work that exposed excessive levels of lead in water at a public estate in 2015.

1 Dec 2021 - 2:20PMvideocam

Hong Kong water supply

Elevated levels of lead found in drinking water at Hong Kong building

3 Nov 2021 - 11:35PMvideocam

Hong Kong water supply

Hong Kong subcontractors cleared of perjury in 2015 inquiry into lead-tainted water

10 Apr 2021 - 6:12PM

Hong Kong housing

Letters | Digging up Fanling golf course is a red herring

The government has avoided any debate, public consultation or pressure on the Heung Yee Kuk, which controls much of the land in the New Territories.

28 Feb 2019 - 8:16AM

Blocks of flats form the backdrop for an aerial drone view of the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling, about a fifth of which is about to be taken back for public housing. Photo: Roy Issa

Consumer protection in Hong Kong

‘Beware of salesmen in Hong Kong selling dubious water purifiers’

Consumer Council believes uptick in complaints linked to growing demand for such devices after city’s tainted water scare of 2015.

16 Oct 2018 - 11:38AM

Put all tap water safeguards in place

20 Jul 2018 - 9:55PM

Another lead scare in drinking water at Hong Kong housing estate

Tests conducted by Democratic Party lawmakers in Kwai Chung show excessive lead content, three years after a tainted-water scandal rocked the city.

19 Jul 2018 - 10:34PM

The tests were conducted at Kwai Tsui Estate. Photo: Wikipedia

Hong Kong high-speed rail

Why high-speed rail link fiasco almost caused Cheung to quit – twice

Anthony Cheung says he didn’t want to drag the whole government down with him as pressure mounted over delays and cost overruns.

10 Jul 2018 - 9:34AM

Technology

Breakthrough device could help test your water for lead

Award-winning invention allows residents to detect even amounts that are well below the World Health Organisation’s guidelines for heavy metals in drinking water, and reduces the wait for results from days to minutes.

15 May 2018 - 6:17PM

Fears of a second water scare as heavy metals found in tap water

5 Dec 2017 - 11:00PM

(From left) Ted Hui Chi-fung, Democratic Party legislator, Mrs Cheng, So Yat-hang; and (back) Amy Tang. Photo: Winson Wong

Public left to wait on safety of tap water at housing estates

5 Oct 2017 - 3:40AM

A resident collects fresh water in Kai Ching Estate. Photo: Edward Wong

Explainers

What you should know about Hong Kong’s new drinking water rules

25 Sep 2017 - 8:14PM

Lawmaker hits out at Hong Kong tainted water action plan

25 Sep 2017 - 8:15PM

Monitoring standards for drinking water to go beyond WHO levels

25 Sep 2017 - 8:13PM

Residents of Kai Ching Estate in Kai Tak stock up on water from a fire hydrant following the scare in 2015. Photo: Felix Wong

Hong Kong officials lack crisis management skills

20 Apr 2017 - 3:50AM

Resident Fung Hung-fong, 75, of Kai Ching Estate refill water from the newly installed temporary pipes. Photo: May Tse

Legislative Council elections 2016

As it happened: Andrew Leung elected Legco president 38-0 over pan-dems’ objections in dramatic ending to raucous day

While most of the city’s 70 newly elected lawmakers were sworn in without incident, a few localists and their sympathisers kept the Legislative Council secretary general and the establishment candidate for president on their toes

13 Oct 2016 - 9:50AMvideocam

Government lapses in tainted water scare: Carrie Lam concerned about similar ‘phenomena’ in other departments

12 Jul 2016 - 8:25AM

Update | Further Hong Kong arrests possible in lead-in-water scandal, sources say

9 Jun 2016 - 6:33PM

More arrests are possible over the lead-in-water scandal. Photo: David Wong

CY Leung apologises to residents affected by lead-in-water scandal

7 Jun 2016 - 9:54AM

Hong Kong tainted water whistle-blower to spearhead battle for compensation for victims

6 Jun 2016 - 7:01AM

Stillborn: Hong Kong tainted water scandal means debate on higher tariffs may not take off

7 Jun 2016 - 12:47PM

Protesters demand action on tainted water. This means higher water tariffs are likely to stay off the table. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong bureaucrats’ response to report on lead-tainted water is buck-passing at its finest

5 Jun 2016 - 11:01AM

(From the left) Director of housing Stanley Ying, Secretary for Transport and Housing Anthony Cheung, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam and director of water supplies Enoch Lam attend a press conference on the commission of inquiry’s report. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong Housing Department promises to hold contractors accountable for lead-in-water scandal

3 Jun 2016 - 8:55PM

Hong Kong’s Water Supplies Department faces bulk of criticism in tainted-water report

1 Jun 2016 - 10:58PM

Still or running water? New Hong Kong lead-test standard in works, but what to sample still disputed

1 Jun 2016 - 11:52AM

Director of Water Supplies Enoch Lam Tin-sing at a press conference on water quality last summer. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong tainted water probe calls for action

1 Jun 2016 - 12:21AM

A resident of Kai Ching Estate in Kai Tak stocks up water from a fire hydrant after drinking water was found to be tainted with lead. Photo: Felix Wong

Solder and collective failure to blame for Hong Kong tainted water scandal, report finds

1 Jun 2016 - 11:03AM

Why there’s no safe amount of lead in tap water in Hong Kong, or anywhere

19 May 2016 - 5:15PM

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