Hong Kong needs a sense of urgency to tackle water scarcity.
Indeed, it has been estimated that 25-39 per cent of the world’s population now live in watersheds exposed to scarcity.
Although neither Hong Kong nor neighbouring cities in the Pearl River Delta feel exposed to the water deficit experienced by much of mainland China, we should not be complacent.
Emphasising this, a recent ADM Capital Foundation and Civic Exchange report, The Illusion of Plenty , illustrates the mounting pressure on water supplies in the Pearl River Delta as a consequence of disrupted climate, pollution from aggressive industrial expansion and growing populations.
Yet, there has been little progress in reducing local demand or diversifying Hong Kong’s water sources, which has no groundwater stores and relies heavily on rainwater.
Since the 1960s, the city has depended on Guangdong’s Dongjiang, or East River, for up to 80 per cent of its fresh water.
The average Hongkonger consumes as much as 224 litres of water per day, according to the Water Supplies Department.
Besides tariff reform, Hong Kong must also try to reduce wastage by controlling leaks in the water system itself.
In 2015, even before Hong Kong residents received their allotments, a third of our fresh water was lost.
Despite natural scarcity and the evolving threats of climate change and increasing competition, there has been little meaningful discussion of water issues in the political arena.