Hong Kong Estate Water Disrupted by Bitumen Contamination

Residents of a major Hong Kong housing estate faced a second day of water problems on Monday. This comes after laboratory tests confirmed that black particles found in the drinking water were bitumen, a substance used in road surfacing. People living in 14 blocks of the Taikoo Shing estate reported the particles in their water on Sunday. In response, the Water Supplies Department set up a service counter for residents to have their water meters cleaned. Many residents also reported a complete loss of hot water. The water issues have raised safety concerns among the community. Officials are investigating how the bitumen entered the residential water supply.