Villagers on Hong Kong’s remote Tung Ping Chau island set to finally get drinking water ... from the sea
- Tung Ping Chau has just a few dozen residents still living on it, so Hong Kong’s water utility is unwilling to build a permanent pipeline. So the community has finally given a desalination facility the go ahead
A desalination facility promising to get much-needed drinking water to villagers in remote, off-grid settlements on Hong Kong’s easternmost island of Tung Ping Chau is expected to finally start this year.
Backed by HK$30 million (US$3.8 million) in funding from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, a desalination facility near Chau Mei village on the island is hoped to be up and running this year, according to the village head. Under the pilot scheme, the facility will supply about 1,000 litres of clean drinking water a day to villagers.
A fully operational desalination plant is expected to supply up to 4,000 litres of water to the islanders – enough for cooking and drinking.
“With improved basic facilities, we hope to be able to attract more villagers to move back to live on the island, or open some businesses there to make it become lively again,” said Lee Wan-hoi, head of Chau Mei village.
Tung Ping Chau sits in Mirs Bay, in Hong Kong’s northeastern waters. The crescent-shaped island measures about 1.16 sq km, roughly half the size of Cheung Chau.
