We’ve heard a lot of people asking this of late: Is Hong Kong’s tap water truly trustworthy? 

We’ll answer this today and show you how we came to the conclusion. Along with that, this article will also take you on a journey behind the scenes to unravel the purification process Hong Kong tap water goes through to put your mind at ease. 

Is Hong Kong tap water clean? 

Yes, Hong Kong tap water is clean. In fact, its quality is approved by WHO. Additionally, Hong Kong tap water conditions are equal to those in the US and Western Europe, including places that are recognized as having the best tap water quality in the world. 

To add to that, the government of Hong Kong frequently conducts tests to make sure that the water available to the public is clean. The authorities even have the results available online for everyone to check. 

Is Hong Kong tap water safe to drink?

According to Gov HK, yes, Hong Kong tap water is safe to drink. However, it’s best to take precautions if you live in an old building that may have old plumbing. Start by installing a water filter. 

Additionally, while it’s safe to drink, a lot of Hong Kong locals will tell you to buy bottled water instead. That said, there’s no scientific study to backup that bottled water is indeed safer and healthier than Hong Kong’s tap water. 

If you want to have peace of mind during your trip, then we suggest either boiling the tap water first or buying bottled water, but rest assured, Hong Kong’s tap water is approved for consumption. 

Where does Hong Kong get its tap water? 

Hong Kong’s tap water comes all the way from Dongjiang River located in Guangdong, China. In fact, most of Hong Kong’s water supply comes from there since it doesn’t have its own local source.  

While the water from Dongjiang is polluted because of several factors like farming and waste leakage, Hong Kong makes sure the water undergoes water treatment so it can be safely consumed. 

How does Hong Kong treat its water?

According to the Water Supplies Department, Hong Kong’s water supply undergoes 4 stages to get rid of all the impurities – pre-treatment, clarification, filtration, and disinfection. 

Pre-treatment is when they add different chemicals to the water to manage pH levels, strip away the taste and color, and more. 

Clarification is all about hardening big flocs so that they can eventually take it out to purify the water. 

As for the filtration, they use a method called gravity filtration or biological filtration. This utilizes bacteria already present in water to change ammonia into nitrate. This is what they generally use in water treatment to clean the water. 

Finally, water undergoes disinfection with the addition of ozone or chlorine.