The government has announced that it will conduct further water sampling at ten other public housing estates in order to calm public concerns of lead contamination.
Secretary of Housing and Transport Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said that the government will test samples at estates whose construction was completed after 2013.
Cheung said that lead contamination was found at other estates completed in 2013, therefore resources should be focused on similar builds. The government will consider sampling water at other estates once tests at the next ten estates are complete.
Cheung said that the next round of tests were to reassure tenants that the Housing Authority “takes health and water supply quality seriously”. He added that Kwai Luen Estate Phase I, which is next to one of the contaminated estates but was completed in 2011, will also be sampled.
Officials ruled out lead contamination at Shui Chuen O Estate in Sha Tin, stating that one of the previous tests was contaminated during sampling.
Water supplies at the following public housing estates will be tested:
- Wing Cheong Estate in Shum Shui Po
- Mei Chuen House of Mei Tin Estate in Tai Wai
- Shek Foon House of Shek Lei (II) Estate in Kwai Chung
- Fung Wo Estate in Sha Tin
- Tak Long Estate in Kowloon City
- Mei Tak House of Mei Tung Estate in Wong Tai Sin
- Yee Ming Estate in Sai Kung
- Cheung Lung Wai Estate in Sheung Shui
- Hung Fuk Estate Phase I, II, III in Yuen Long
- Kwai Luen Estate Phase I in Kwai Chung
The 10 estates contain around 24,000 households.
Cheung said that the Housing Authority “will pursue the main contractor” and promised action if they were found to be responsible.
Last Saturday, the government confirmed that Kai Ching Estate had lead concentrations in its water supply, exceeding World Health Organisation standards. On Tuesday, water at Kwai Luen Estate Phase II was also confirmed to contain lead contamination. The incidents have raised concerns over the quality of public housing apartments and the China-based contractors who were hired to construct them.
