After reading Kevin Sinclair's report on Tai Long Wan (' 'Pipeline through paradise' angers eco-group', South China Morning Post, November 20) I was shocked to see how much money the government is spending on a handful of villagers (to supply them with mains water).

I was there the weekend before last and it is obvious there are not '70 residents' as the government claims. Even if there were this number that does still not justify spending $30 million when they already have a water source, especially when Hong Kong is struggling economically.

If the government is laying the pipes in order to develop the area in the future then this is a crying shame.