By Civic Exchange, ADM Capital Foundation
10 May 2017

In May 2017, Civic Exchange and ADM Capital Foundation published a major report on Hong Kong’s water supply, with support from the WYNG Foundation. 

Our findings were presented a luncheon at The American Club. Watch (L to R), Dr. Frederick Lee of the University of Hong Kong; Evan Auyang, Civic Exchange Chairman; and Sam Inglis, ADMCF researcher, in the below video. 

“The Illusion of Plenty” examines the challenges Hong Kong faces in managing its water sustainably and responsibly.

This report presents the most up-to-date perspectives and data, based on numerous interviews and a thorough review of documents, articles and reports spanning more than two decades. It provides information on the complex relationships and policies governing water resources in Hong Kong. It identifies innumerable shortcomings within the existing management structure, regulations, tariff schemes, supply network and long-term strategies of the Hong Kong government.

This report is intended to provide a clear insight into the severity of water scarcity in Hong Kong, and the challenges the city faces in protecting this “precious” resource. Ultimately, it explores a range of strategies, including some that that have been successfully adopted elsewhere.

Media Coverage

• 20 July 2017 – RTHK (Money Talk) – Hong Kong’s Water Security
• 13 July 2017 – Harbour Times – From ripples to waves: Changing the unsustainable trajectory of Hong Kong’s freshwater use
• 13 July 2017 – China Water Risk – Hong Kong’s Pricey Water Deal With China
• 07 July 2017 – Harbour Times – Running dry: Hong Kong in need of sustainable water strategy
• 28 June 2017 – South China Morning Post (SCMP) – Hong Kong needs a sense of urgency to tackle water scarcity 
• 20 June 2017 – Hong Kong Free Press – Why Hong Kong urgently needs to tackle its water problem
• 24 May 2017 – China Dialogue – Hong Kong is wasting a third of its water
• 22 May 2017 – Think Hong Kong – HARRY：供水協議談判 由增強議價能力開始
• 21 May 2017 – SCMP – Hong Kong does not take its water security for granted, as its multifacted strategy shows – Response from the Hong Kong Government
• 21 May 2017 – China Dialogue – Hong Kong is wasting a third of its water
• 20 May 2017 – SCMP –Hong Kong pours out 5.5 billion bathtubs of water a year and it ‘needs a plan to reduce waste’
• 17 May 2017 – Lantau News – Tung Chung set to flush with fresh water for another six years
• 13 May 2017 – SCMP – Hong Kong’s water bills should be raised to cope with city’s serious water shortage, think tank claims
• 12 May 2017 – Global Times  – 香港人均一年用860浴缸水
• 12 May 2017 – CRHK Programme人民大道中 – 香港人用水多得誇張 水費亦平得誇張!?
• 11 May 2017 – HK01 – 全港三分一水無償洩漏　元朗區最嚴重　智庫倡食水保育
• 11 May 2017 – Lianhe ZaoBao  – 报告：港人用水量是全球最高之一
• 11 May 2017 – RTHK (Hong Kong Today)  – HK needs to fairly value fresh water
• 11 May 2017 – Ming Pao  – 智庫稱定額買東江水易浪費 倡加水費鼓勵節約
• 11 May 2017 – Oriental Daily  – 水管洩漏 港府料10年少收170億
• 11 May 2017 – Sing Tao Daily  – 環團報告指本港過度耗水
• 11 May 2017 – Hong Kong Economic Times  – 港人用水量 超全球人均21%
• 11 May 2017 – am 730  – 研究批供水網絡管理差 年均嘥三分一淡水
• 11 May 2017 – Sky Post  – 水管滲漏 致逾3成淡水流失
• 11 May 2017 – HK Commercial Daily  – 七成家庭用水政府補貼乏誘因慳水 思匯倡改革水費制度
• 11 May 2017 – Sing Pao  – 1/3水流失 恐失170億元潛在收入
• 11 May 2017 – Harbour Times  – Think Tank calls for rethink of water governance to cure wastefulness
• 11 May 2017 – The Epoch Times – 研究指水管漏水致13.5億損失
• 11 May 2017 – Headline Daily  – 環團報告指本港過度耗水　每年人均用量達860個浴缸
• 11 May 2017 – Bastille Post – 環團報告指本港用水過度 市民不懂珍惜水資源
• 11 May 2017 – MASTV Net – 七成家庭用水政府補貼乏誘因慳水 思匯倡改革水費制度
• 10 May 2017 – Apple Daily – 捱貴東江水元兇係政府？研究：水管洩漏3分1水蝕$13.5億
• 10 May 2017 – RTHK English News – Revamp water tariff rate to stop wastage
• 10 May 2017 – 852 Post – 三分一淡水經水管流失　食水滲漏率詬病多年未見改進