Hong Kong’s tap water is in full compliance with the World Health Organisations’ sanitation guidelines. However, consumption without boiling still remains scorned upon by Hong Kong citizens. As such, I will explore the reason for this negative perception of tap water’s cleanliness as well as evaluate the extent of this issue. 

The main problem does not lie in the source of the water supply. According to the Hong Kong Water Supplies Department, average chloroform levels in HK tap water have remained <50 μg/L for a long time, far lower than the maximum guideline of 300 μg/L.  The chloroform level reflects the amount of organic matter and pollutants in the water system, and as such implies Hong Kongs’ water supply is largely safe for consumption. 

So, what causes this negative public perception? 

According to many, it is the lack of building upkeep. Withered traditional architecture shapes Hong Kong’s older towns, serving as a reflection of culture and tradition. However, this lack of modernity also alludes to enhanced decay and lax upkeep of pipes and water structures. As such, rust lines both the inside and outside of water pipes in many of these old apartments and office buildings, and these corroded pipes discolor the water carried through them. Additionally, old pipes which keep leftover stagnant water may grow bacteria. To combat this, however, a small amount of residual chlorine is maintained in the water to eliminate potential bacterial growth during distribution. Though this quantity of chlorine is entirely safe for consumption, prejudices against chlorine due to its use in harsh cleaning products harms public perception. In this manner, the combination of negative public perception of chlorine and dislike of discoloration creates an atmosphere where tap water consumption is scorned upon. 

Another reason for tap water’s negative public perception is Hong Kong citizens' lack of trust of regulation to enforce antibacterial measures. Hong Kong pipes have a history of lax upkeep and sanitation, where in 2001, the rust content “exceeded the relevant standard stipulated by the World Health Organization” and “the problem of corrosion in roof tanks and fresh water pipes in domestic buildings is quite serious”. In this way, though they may trust the chlorination process as safe and view discoloration as a non-issue, a history of unfit sanitation has led citizens to believe these processes are improperly implemented.

Though the chlorine concentration does not present large safety concerns, boiling water is effective in removing all chlorine as well as killing all present bacteria. As such, though tap water does not present risk, this common practice does not perpetuate, or enhance unsanitary elements and only seems to offer negligible benefits among seeming safer due to mental stigmas. 

While the preceding discussion has explored certain harm, it is true that in a broader context, public perception of water sanitation is not a very relevant issue. Particularly, the only consequence of individual filtering and boiling of the water is time-waste where there is no increased health risk. While increased strictness of regulation may increase water quality by reducing discoloration due to rust and the situation of stagnant water supply, this improvement does not seem extremely important as no huge safety risk is poised due to the issue.

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