A FEASIBILITY study on privatising the water supplies coinciding with a clear-out of top officials has fuelled speculation of a drastic revamp.
The Finance Bureau is understood to be commissioning a consultancy study on the future direction for the Water Supplies Department.
The study will examine the options of privatising, corporatising or contracting out the service.
'It makes one feel that the outcome of the succession will depend on how the department would be revamped according to recommendations by the consultants,' an informed source said.
The extension of Director of Water Supplies Hu Man-shiu's appointment to February coincides with the three-month duration of the study.
The source said: 'Maybe Hu was retained until the top management decided how the department should be transformed.
