Lead level of 14 times WHO limit discovered at Hong Kong public housing flat, as two more estates join contaminated list

Two more public housing estates joined the list of those with excessive lead in their water supply, the government announced this evening, noting that at one of them the level exceeded the WHO’s safety standard by more than 14 times.

The latest estates hit by the contamination crisis are Un Chau Estate phases two and four in Cheung Sha Wan, which was built in 2008, and Choi Fook Estate in Kwun Tong, built in 2010.

The discovery brings to 10 the total number of estates in where contaminated water has been found.

The worst-hit flat is in the Un Kin House of the Un Chau Estate, where lead levels of 153 micrograms per litre were discovered. That’s 14.3 times higher than the World Health Organisation standard of 10 micrograms per litre. Another flat in Choi Lok House of Choi Fook Estate had lead levels measuring 89.2 micrograms per litre.

The main contractor and plumbing subcontractor of the two estates are Yau Lee Construction and Ming Hop company respectively.

Ten more residents have also been found with excessive lead in their blood in the latest batch of city-run blood tests, according to Derrick Au Kit-sing, director of quality and safety at the Hospital Authority.