Water supplies chief drinks tap water to prove its quality

The Director of Water Supplies, Roger Wong Yan-lok, sought to allay public concerns by demonstrating drinking tap water to prove its quality is among the best in the world.

The city has grappled with growing concerns over the safety of its drinking water supply after extreme weather and heightened risk of infectious diseases, which have posed significant challenges to ensuring a reliable and clean water source for the residents.

Wong emphasized that besides chlorination, the Water Supplies Department (WSD) conducts around 600,000 water sample tests annually, ensuring a robust safety monitoring system. 

He even drinks directly from the tap, proving that it is safe to consume as long as the building's internal water system is properly maintained.

The chief of the water department mentioned that they monitor water quality using over 800 indicators, which is well above the 95 recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, two of their standards surpass those set by the WHO.

He explained that the water treatment process is highly stringent, with strict filtration, disinfection, and chlorination to maintain cleanliness and prevent the presence of pathogens or bacteria during distribution and storage.

Wong also encouraged building owners to participate in the "water safety plan for buildings", which provides subsidies of up to HK$310,000 to help identify and mitigate water contamination risks.

Around 40 percent of the residential buildings have joined the plan, he added.

Wong said that while many locals are still hesitant to drink tap water directly, many foreign visitors in Hong Kong do so without any concerns. He believes that with proper management of a building's internal water system, direct consumption of tap water is not an issue.