Un Chau Estate (Phase 2 and 4) in Sham Shui Po and Choi Fook Estate in Kowloon Bay were discovered to have excessive lead in water samples yesterday (Aug 13), with the worst case being 14 times over the World Health Organization standard.

19 out of 135 water samples from Un Chau Estate, completed in 2008, were found with excess lead ranging from 11 to 153 micrograms per litre. With the WHO standard set at 10 micrograms of lead per one litre of water, the most severe case exceeded the WHO standard by 14 times.

For Choi Fook Estate, 13 out of 90 water samples exceeded the WHO standard, ranging from 11.9 to 89.2 micrograms.

Yau Lee Construction will install water filters for residents who are being affected by 24th August, according to Stanley Ying, the Director of Housing.

Since the lead-in-water crisis broke out last month, officials have confirmed that 10 estates were affected, including Kai Ching Estate, Kwai Luen Estate Phase 2, Wing Cheong Estate, Hung Hom Estate Phase 2, Shek Kip Mei Estate Phase 2, Tung Wui Estate, Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate Phase 1, Yan On Estate, Choi Fook Estate and Un Chau Estate.

However, political parties and media have suggested that many more could have had water contaminated by heavy metals such as lead and nickel.

Moreover, the government announced that 10 children were found to have excess lead in their blood. Up to today (Aug 14), out of 1479 Hong Kong residents who were tested, 117 were found excessive lead in blood, including 88 children, 26 breastfeeding mothers and 3 pregnant women.