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Hong Kong tainted water probe calls for action

Government called upon to deal with contamination problems head-on

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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

A judge-led inquiry into last year’s tainted water scare said Hong Kong had no safety standards for drinking water and warned that government supervision should not just stop at the end of the water pipe.

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It should go further to make sure water from the tap would be safe for drinking, said the ­commission.

The commission, established to probe the causes of the excess lead found in drinking water on 11 public housing estates, affecting 29,000 households, urged the government to review the laws and rules on water safety and quality.

The Water Supplies Department will come up with a set of safety standards for the city’s drinking water.

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New posts have been created at the department for reviewing existing waterworks regulations.

A leaflet has been attached to water bills, advising residents to run the tap for about two minutes before drinking the water.

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