Government to heed commission of inquiry’s report, but some residents and the lawmaker who broke the scandal remain unsatisfied
OWEN.FUNG@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Wednesday, 01 June, 2016, 11:52am
Director of Water Supplies Enoch Lam Tin-sing at a press conference on water quality last summer. Photo: Sam Tsang
The method of testing lead levels in water has once again come under scrutiny, as the government set up an expert panel to study testing standards following the commission of inquiry’s report on the lead-in-water scandal.
Speaking on Commercial Radio on Wednesday, Director of Water Supplies Enoch Lam Tin-sing said the government was willing to follow the recommendations and establish a water quality standard in Hong Kong.
The official said authorities would study experiences abroad to enhance the city’s water safety.
Solder and collective failure to blame for Hong Kong tainted water scandal, report finds
The commission recommended that the government test water samples from all local public housing estates.
Lam said the government would follow the expert panel’s recommendation to conduct the tests.
The director agreed that both still and running water samples should be tested.
Whether samples of running or still water were more accurate in reflecting lead levels in drinking water continued to be a point of debate since the scandal broke.
While the Water Supplies Departmentmaintained running water was appropriate, the commission stated that still water samples should have been used.
Dr Chan Hon-fai, a member of the five-person expert panel, however, disagreed with the conclusion.
He explained on RTHK on Wednesday that still water samples could only cover two to three metres of pipe work from the tap.
And since the source of lead are soldering joints which are spread throughout the water system, results from still water samples might not produce the most accurate result, he said.
Hong Kong tainted water probe calls for action
Lawmaker Helena Wong Pik-wan of the Democratic Party, who broke the lead-in-water scan, disputed Chan’s claim.
“Samples from running water should be used to test water quality in normal circumstances,” she said. “But since we already know there’s [a problem]… samples from still water should be used.”
Commenting on the commission’s report, the Democratic Party lawmaker said she found it to be fair. She also called on Lam to step down.
Despite the commission’s damning report, some residents at affected estates remained angry.
“I won’t accept the report, especially what Carrie Lam said on the problem,” Ms Lee, a resident who has been affected by the tainted water saga for about two years, said on Commercial Radio. “She did not even apologise.”
Lee, who has epilepsy and a nine-year-old child, said her family dined out all the time and only drank bottled water to safeguard their health.
“We have no confidence in drinking the tap water, which is milky in colour,” she said. “The Water Services Department should replace all the water pipes.”
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1961343/still-or-running-water-new-hong-kong-lead-test
