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Move comes after five schools were found to have water contaminated with lead

Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Tuesday the government would conduct water tests at all 980 kindergartens citywide to further allay public concerns over lead-tainted water.

This is after five schools were revealed to have lead in their water.

Speaking at a special meeting at the Legislative Council, Lam promised to test tap water for all kindergartens first. The government will then have tests done on water at 80 government and directly subsidized primary and secondary schools.

The decision came after the government's announcement last week that it would provide free filters for 80 directly subsidized and government schools completed after 2005.

Secretary for Education Eddie Ng Hak-kim said that since the government suggested kindergartens install filters last Thursday, it has received requests from 163 kindergartens asking for assistance to buy 272 filters.

Some lawmakers at the meeting requested primary schools also be given priority for water tests. In response, Lam said the government would consider the suggestion.

Lam expected the relevant work would be finished within six months. She also promised to conduct blood tests for the children of kindergartens if their water was found to be contaminated by lead.

The lead-tainted water issue surfaced in July when excessive lead was found in taps of public estates. Following the discovery, the government has drawn 3,404 water samples from 34 public housing estates. Preliminary investigation has confirmed that water pipe soldering materials, which should be lead-free by law, were contaminated with lead.

But the government refused to exempt water fees or rents as compensation for residents from the 11 tainted public housing estates. This is despite demands from lawmakers of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions.

The government also tested water samples at four government quarters completed after 2005. Three of them have proved to be lead free. Results for the remaining one will be released later.

Water tests for the kindergartens will be carried out simultaneously with those at the 50 remaining blocks of public housing estates completed during 2005 to 2010. The latter are expected to be completed this month.

The government will then decide whether to test water in about 1,000 blocks at public estates which were completed before 2005.

Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man also said the government might work with private labs to improve the capacity for handling blood samples in light of a growing need for blood tests.

Up to now, a total of 130 people have been found to have unsafe lead levels in their blood. Five out of 86 children assessed have shown signs of slower development.

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A staff member of the SKH St. Thomas' Primary School cleans at the school's kitchen on Tuesday after a new water filter was installed. The lead-in-water scare has spread to the Sham Shui Po primary school, with one water sample containing more than four times the amount of lead considered safe. Edmond Tang / China Daily

(HK Edition 09/02/2015 page7)