Plumber at centre of Hong Kong water scare reveals extent of pipes contaminated by lead
Metal suspected to have contaminated taps was used in work at St Paul’s Hospital, more than 10 public housing estates and private developments
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 16 July, 2015, 11:39pm
UPDATED : Friday, 17 July, 2015, 2:02am
Fanny W. Y. Fung, Gloria Chan and Lai Ying-kit
Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (left) receives petitions at a special meeting of Tsuen Wan District Council on the scandal. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
The plumber at the centre of Hong Kong's lead contamination scare has revealed that a hospital, more than 10 public housing estates and an unspecified number of private residential developments may be affected through their fresh water pipes.
An official investigation has yet to trace the source of contamination, but the Housing Department confirmed yesterday that the lead content was 50 per cent in samples taken from soldering materials in water pipes in Kowloon City's Kai Ching Estate.
That lends more weight to the government's theory that the problem may originate from pipes being soldered with material containing lead, which experts say should not be used on machinery in contact with food or drinking water.
More details of the contamination were revealed yesterday by Lam Tak-sum, the licensed plumber whom the government named as responsible for pipe works at Kai Ching Estate, Kwai Luen Estate in Kwai Chung and Shui Chuen O Estate in Sha Tin, where excessive levels of lead were found in tap water.
Giving a public account of his role on a radio show, he said the soldering materials used at the estates were purchased by engineering firm Ho Biu Kee, the sub-contractor which hired him, and were then approved by the Housing Department.
"The process was something I could not supervise," he said.
He further revealed that the company had used "almost the same materials" as those in the three estates on various other projects in recent years, including St Paul's Hospital in Causeway Bay, more than 10 public housing estates and some private housing blocks.
By last night the government could not provide a list of buildings that used pipes installed by the firm. The Water Supplies Department said it could not provide the information because licensed plumbers were not required to submit such details about subcontractors for this type of work.
Calls to Ho Biu Kee went unanswered. When a South China Morning Post reporter visited its office in Cheung Sha Wan, the door was closed and a woman answering through a speaker refused to comment.
Plumber Lam Tak-sum said soldering materials used at the estates were bought by the firm that hired him and approved by the Housing Department. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
St Paul's Hospital hired the firm to install pipes for a ward building under construction and scheduled to open next year. A spokeswoman said samples from pipes had been submitted for laboratory tests, while hospital services were unaffected.
At a closed-door meeting of the Housing Authority, officials "basically ruled out" pre-cast pipes brought from the mainland as the source of contamination, according to one member, Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan.
In response to Director of Housing Stanley Ying Yiu-hong's revelation after the meeting that the lead content was 50 per cent in two samples of soldering materials from Kai Ching Estate, Water Works Professional Association chairman Cheng Wai-cheong said it was "inconceivable" to use so much of the metal.
"Soldering materials for water pipes are required to contain 99 per cent tin," he said, explaining that while he had never heard of anyone in the industry using so much lead in water pipes, they would be much cheaper.
"The proper materials with 99 per cent tin are sold at about HK$180 to HK$190 a pound, while those mixed with half lead may cost only HK$120 to HK$130."
He also noted that because lead melts faster, soldering time would be cut by a third.
Housing minister Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, who is heading a committee to investigate, put the responsibility on the contractors of the housing estates - China State Construction International and Shui On - "to make things right again".
The Democratic Party is seeking to invoke the Legislative Council's special powers to probe the scandal.
