Latest news with #WaterSuppliesDepartment
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Black particles in water? Hong Kong says supply at public housing estate is safe
The freshwater supply at a Hong Kong public housing estate in the New Territories is safe, authorities have said, after residents voiced worries over black particles found in their drinking water. The Water Supplies Department on Saturday sought to reassure tenants of Queen's Hill Estate in Fanling following complaints about a delayed official response to reports of impurities in the water supply. Residents on Friday began posting photos to social media of filters fixed to home taps that had collected a large amount of black specks, with one of the tenants describing the particles as sticky. The department told one of the residents on Saturday morning that it had been aware of the case since 10am on Friday, according to a social media post. Residents have taken to social media to post images of the black particles. Photo: Facebook/Desmond Wang The author of the post asked why there had been no public acknowledgement and suggested residents were left to drink contaminated water.
South China Morning Post
7 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Water supply resumes in Hong Kong's Tuen Mun after leaking pipe fixed
Water supply in Hong Kong's Tuen Mun has been gradually resumed after an underground pipe leak caused an overnight suspension and a temporary closure of some lanes on a major road. The Water Supplies Department said the emergency pipe repair works on Yuen Long-bound lanes on Tuen Mun Road near Siu Hong MTR station were completed at around 3am on Wednesday. It added that the supply to the northern part of Tuen Mun would be gradually resumed at around 6.30am. The slow and middle lanes on Tuen Mun Road were also reopened at around 6am, according to the department. Authorities say that repair works were completed at 3am on Wednesday. Photo: Handout The leakage first came to light on Monday night. Authorities later located the seepage under the slow lane of Tuen Mun Road, prompting road closure on Tuesday. The incident also led to a freshwater supply suspension in northern Tuen Mun at 11pm on Tuesday, affecting at least 23 residential estates and two hotels. The flushing water supply near Tuen Mun Ferry Pier had also been suspended. Services at three public hospitals in the area were not affected. The department sent water wagons and tanks to hospitals and relevant residential areas.
South China Morning Post
27-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong authorities race to reopen 2 lanes before Tuesday evening rush hour
Hong Kong authorities aim to reopen two lanes on a major road affected by an underground pipe leak before the evening rush hour starts on Tuesday, and plan to fully reopen the route ahead of the next morning's traffic peak. The suspected water seepage on the Yuen Long-bound lanes on Tuen Mun Road near Siu Hong MTR station first came to light at around 11pm on Monday. Police arrived at the scene soon after, closing down the route's central and fast lanes to allow Water Supplies Department engineers to carry out urgent repairs. The repairs were only completed on Tuesday morning, resulting in traffic jams that stretched for miles. More than 20 bus routes were also temporarily diverted due to the incident. The department later said the leak was detected in a drinking water main beneath the slow lane, while the fresh water supply was unaffected. It announced by 4pm that a temporary road restoration was under way, with authorities aiming to reopen the central and fast lanes before 6pm.
RTHK
23-04-2025
- Health
- RTHK
Water monitoring expanded to cover more toxins
Water monitoring expanded to cover more toxins Starting June 2025, three new parameters will be added to the government's routine drinking water testing programme. Photo: Canva The Water Supplies Department has announced plans to strengthen Hong Kong's drinking water safety protocols, revising its monitoring regime to align with the latest World Health Organization guidelines. Starting from June, three new parameters – governing manganese, cylindrospermopsins and saxitoxins – will be added to the government's routine drinking water testing programme, while monitoring for microcystin-LR toxins will be expanded. In a statement, the department said these changes, approved by the Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee, are aimed at enhancing public health safeguards and ensuring safe and reliable drinking water for the public. Meanwhile, tetrachloroethene and uranium will transition from routine testing to a surveillance list for periodic oversight, following years of consistently low detection levels. Similarly, tests will no longer be made for antimony under the Enhanced Water Quality Monitoring Programme with water samples collected showing traces for the chemical as being below the reporting limit. Other parameters governing lead and E coli will remain in place to maintain rigorous oversight. Under the routine drinking water testing programme, testing occurs across reservoirs, treatment plants, distribution systems and public taps accessible to the general public, with frequencies ranging from daily to monthly, while those toxins or chemicals covered under the surveillance list's parameters are usually tested once every six months.
