Fourth contractor to install water filters at two Hong Kong housing estates

Paul Y General Contractors will start installing water filters later this month in its two public housing estates, where tests earlier revealed excessive amounts of lead in drinking water.

The installation, which will take around three weeks, is being undertaken in Wing Cheong Estate in Sham Shui Po and Tung Wui Estate in Wong Tai Sin. A total of 2,821 flats in the two estates will receive filters by the end of next month. During installation, a telephone hotline will be set up to answer residents’ inquiries. The company will also change the filter cartridges for free for a period of two years after installation.

The filters comply with US National Sanitation Foundation standards.

The contractor is the fourth and last contractor to start installing water filters in housing estates with excessive lead. Shui On Building Contractors and Yau Lee Construction were the first to announce installation work, followed by China State Construction Engineering last week. Residents in the 10 affected estates are expected to have water filters installed by the end of next month.

Meanwhile, lawmakers called for water to be tested in all schools after a primary school in Sham Shui Po was found to have excessive lead in its water. They made the call yesterday during a special meeting of the Legislative Council’s health panel.

“If we don’t do that, parents will be worried. I expect there should be more schools [testing for excessive lead],” said Democratic Party lawmaker Helena Wong Pik-wan.