15 h. ago Chinese legends, Disney characters compete in Hong Kong dragon boat race

Competitors marked the final day of Hong Kong’s International Dragon Boat Races on Sunday by donning an array of colourful costumes that included beloved characters from animated films and Chinese folklore. Hongkongers, expats and a team of visiting Canadian paddlers were among those taking part in the fancy dress competition held on the event’s second day. The races were organised by the city’s Tourism Board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. Toronto’s Water Vipers dragon boat...

Politics

15 h. ago Chinese legends, Disney characters compete in Hong Kong dragon boat races

Competitors marked the final day of Hong Kong’s International Dragon Boat Races on Sunday by donning an array of colourful costumes that included beloved characters from animated films and Chinese folklore. Hongkongers, expats and a team of visiting Canadian paddlers were among those taking part in the fancy dress competition held on the event’s second day. The races were organised by the city’s Tourism Board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. Toronto’s Water Vipers dragon boat...

Politics

32 h. ago Hong Kong water safety saga: what happened and how to protect yourself

Hong Kong’s leader has rolled out 10 measures to address concerns over the supply of freshwater containing a banned substance at two public housing estates. The Post unpacks the water safety concerns behind the saga and how people can protect themselves. 1. What’s the scandal about? Residents at two public rental and subsidised estates in Fanling first reported the presence of black particles in their drinking water on Friday last week, prompting some to buy bottled water as speculation mounted...

Politics

35 h. ago Replacement work on water pipe that gave Hongkongers scare to begin this year

Hong Kong will begin replacing a 400-metre (437 yards) section of water pipe lined with bitumen this year before carrying out citywide work, as it is believed to be the source of black particles dirtying the water at two public housing estates. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said on Saturday that the government would prioritise the stretch of pipe between Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling, the only one lined with bitumen that connects the two sites. She said the...

Politics

35 h. ago Water pipe spewing bitumen in Hong Kong estates to start being replaced this year

Hong Kong will begin replacing a 400-metre (437 yards) section of water pipe lined with bitumen this year before carrying out citywide work, as it is believed to be the source of black particles dirtying the water at two public housing estates. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said on Saturday that the government would prioritise the stretch of pipe between Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling, the only one lined with bitumen that connects the two sites. She said the...

Politics

41 h. ago Why is Hong Kong slow to tackle ‘ticking time bomb’ of ageing water pipes?

Hong Kong authorities' hands are tied when it comes to tackling the “ticking time bomb” of the city’s ageing water pipes due to a lack of resources and resistance to disruptions to traffic and supply caused by replacement works, experts have said. Experts and lawmakers told the Post that the city’s high population density and ageing pipes have caused frequent water main bursts at housing estates in the New Territories in recent months, with incidents occurring at locations in Tuen Mun, Tseung...

Events

54 h. ago ‘Embarrassing’: how Hong Kong response to bitumen in water supply shows ‘flaws’

Hong Kong officials have faced criticism over their handling of the discovery of a banned substance in the water supply of two public housing estates, as lawmakers and experts accuse the administration of being slow to respond, failing to show accountability and lacking awareness. A veteran political analyst also called the government’s response “embarrassing”, saying it undermined the city’s efforts to show improvements in public welfare before an anticipated visit by a senior Beijing...

Politics

63 h. ago Hong Kong leader orders ageing water pipes lined with bitumen to be replaced

Hong Kong’s leader has ordered authorities to replace hundreds of metres of bitumen-lined pipes as one of 10 measures to address residents’ concerns over black particles dirtying the water at two public housing estates. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu weighed in on Friday, a week after initial reports of the particles emerged, as he tasked Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun with supervising the implementation of the measures. Government test results on Thursday confirmed that the...

Politics

3 d. ago Hongkongers demand answers after banned substance found in estate’s water supply

Hong Kong authorities are under increasing pressure to verify whether the freshwater supply at a public housing estate contains bitumen, a substance banned from use in pipes, with experts calling for an investigation to trace the source of mystery black particles and determine if contractors have violated any rules. A source said the government would hold a press conference on Thursday afternoon to release more details of their test results. The water issue at two public rental and subsidised...

Events

3 d. ago Banned substance found in water supply of 2 Hong Kong housing estates

Black particles found in the freshwater supply at two public housing estates are mainly bitumen, authorities have said, while stressing that the water is safe to drink. The government said on Thursday that its tests showed the bitumen, which is banned from use in pipes, was mixed with resin. Residents at two public rental and subsidised estates, Queens Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling, first reported the presence of black particles in their drinking water on Friday last week. Director...

Events

4 d. ago Worried Hong Kong estate residents buy bottled water as black particles linger

Residents at two Hong Kong public estates whose freshwater supply has been tainted by mystery black particles for five days have resorted to buying bottled water for cooking and feeding their children, while a senior official has said test results are expected this week. Tenants at Queens Hill Estate in Fanling last week raised concerns about the particles in their freshwater supply, which were followed by similar reports from residents of nearby Shan Lai Court. Secretary for Development...

Politics

6 d. ago Source of black particles in Hong Kong estate’s water supply remains mystery

Authorities are still investigating the source of black particles detected in the freshwater supply at a Hong Kong public housing estate, while reassuring residents that the water is safe to drink. Tenants of Queens Hill Estate in Fanling had earlier complained about the black particles found in their drinking water and what they called a delayed ­official response to their reports, first filed on Friday last week. Director of Water Supplies Roger Wong Yan-lok said on Monday that samples taken...

Politics

8 d. ago Black particles in water? Hong Kong says supply at public housing estate is safe

The freshwater supply at a Hong Kong public housing estate in the New Territories is safe, authorities have said, after residents voiced worries over black particles found in their drinking water. The Water Supplies Department on Saturday sought to reassure tenants of Queen’s Hill Estate in Fanling following complaints about a delayed official response to reports of impurities in the water supply. Residents on Friday began posting photos to social media of filters fixed to home taps that had...

Politics

1 week ago Water supply resumes in Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun after leaking pipe fixed

Water supply in Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun has been gradually resumed after an underground pipe leak caused an overnight suspension and a temporary closure of some lanes on a major road. The Water Supplies Department said the emergency pipe repair works on Yuen Long-bound lanes on Tuen Mun Road near Siu Hong MTR station were completed at around 3am on Wednesday. It added that the supply to the northern part of Tuen Mun would be gradually resumed at around 6.30am. The slow and middle lanes on Tuen Mun...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong Lawmakers demand infrastructure checks after burst water pipe chaos

Hong Kong’s director of water supplies said leaks in a 47-year-old water pipe in Tuen Mun that caused service suspension and nine-hour traffic disruptions, were difficult to locate because it was deep underground, while lawmakers urged the government to improve its monitoring of ageing infrastructure in older urban areas. Director of Water Supplies Roger Wong Yan-lok told a radio show on Wednesday that the burst water main on Tuen Mun Road the previous night was around 3 metres below...

Events

1 week ago Water supply for Hong Kong’s northern Tuen Mun to be shut off from 11pm

The water supply for the northern part of Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun will be suspended from 11pm on Tuesday, after an underground pipe leak left two lanes along a major road temporarily closed. The decision is expected to affect at least 23 residential estates and two hotels. The Water Supplies Department said it aimed to fully reopen the Tuen Mun Road before the Wednesday morning rush hour, adding that it was working hard to complete the repairs. The Hospital Authority’s New Territories West cluster...

Politics

1 week ago Water supply for Hong Kong’s northern Tuen Mun shut off from 11pm

The water supply for the northern part of Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun was suspended at 11pm on Tuesday, after an underground pipe leak left two lanes along a major road temporarily closed. The suspension affected at least 23 residential estates and two hotels. The Water Supplies Department said it aimed to fully reopen Tuen Mun Road before the Wednesday morning rush hour, adding that it was working hard to complete the repairs. The Hospital Authority’s New Territories West cluster earlier said that...

Politics

2 w. ago Burst pipe closes major Hong Kong road, cuts off flushing water supply to Tseung Kwan O

Water Supplies Department says flushing water supply expected to resume at 6am on Wednesday as repair works under way.

Politics

2 w. ago Flushing water supply resumes in Hong Kong’s Tseung Kwan O but road still closed

Water Supplies Department anticipates traffic lanes affected by burst underground pipe will reopen by noon on Wednesday.

Science