CitySpeak XII – The water we drink (where will it come from?)

Where does the water we drink come from? Is there enough for everyone? Where will it come from?

Hong Kong’s water supply comes from two sources: the rainfall we collect in our reservoirs (20-30%) and water we buy from the Mainland (70-80%). The current agreement for water from the Dongjiang, a tributary of the Pearl River, will expire in 2015. With demand for water growing sharply throughout the Pearl River Delta and the supply of water compromised by pollution and climate change, Hong Kong’s future access to clean water is far from certain.

In our drive to become a sustainable city, should Hong Kong become self-sufficient? Should we increase the size of our reservoirs? Follow Singapore and recycle our waste water? Build plants to desalinate seawater? What other possible methods are there? Who’s going to pay?

CitySpeak invites you to join Hong Kong officials, academics and planners in this discussion about our water issues.

The keynote speaker is Mr. LT Ma, Director of the Water Supplies Department, who will set the scene and outline the current situation in Hong Kong. The discussion will be moderated by Mr. Mike Kilburn, Environmental Programme Manager, Civic Exchange.

Moderator
Mr. Mike Kilburn, Environmental Programme Manager at Civic Exchange



Ir. Ma Lee-tak JP, Director of Water Supplies, Water Supplies Department







Dr. Lee Boon-ying JP, Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Hong Kong Observatory







Prof. Carlos Lo Wing-Hung, Hong Kong Polytechnic University







Mr. Bevis Mak Wai-lung , Executive Director, Water and Urban Development, AECOM