Water Shortages in the Walled City

The increasing population during the 1960's put a huge strain on the water supply and in itself caused a multitude of problems. Since the buildings in the Walled City were so densely packed and were built without thought for piping, it was impossible to for the water to be piped in underground and through the city by the government. Water was tapped into the main water line outside of the city to individual homes and factories through corroding and leaky pipe lines built by the Triads. These pipes scaled all the walls of buildings and hung above all the alleyways creating a damp, dirty environment. Other businesses also physically went outside the city with buckets to collect water for paying customers but lost its popularity as buildings got higher and higher. Eventually the Hong Kong government installed 8 stand pipes for the city of which only one was inside the city. There would be long lines throughout the day for this one stand pipe where people would wash their hair, vegetables and dishes. Personal pipes also used the stand pipe which was periodically connected to replenish the small storage tanks of food industries.
Entrepreneurs took advantage of this and property owners started drilling wells on their own land in order to profit from water sales. By the time the clearance was announced in 1987, Government surveyors assessing compensation claims identified 67 working wells owned by some 40 suppliers. The more recent drilling had to drill more than 100 metres below the surface, as shallower sources had been depleted. Water was usually first pumped up to rudimentary storage tanks on the City roofscape and from there, a twisted congestion of pipes ran downward branch off to their customers. Monthly charges were anywhere between $50 and $70 per household. There were however many problems. Pressure and pumping difficulties meant that many pumps would only be turned on at set times to replenish tanks which meant only a few hours' supply. The biggest drawback with the well-water was that much of it was undrinkable. It was impregnated with the usual seepage of urban and industrial pollutants and was not even fit to boil. Well water was also inevitably contaminated by human waste which was exited the City via open drains and seeped into the ground. Drinking and cooking water still had to be carried from the standpipes.

Since construction in the city was also linked to the Triads, newer buildings had provision for water supply in order to for them to gain more customers. Once a household was connected to a particlar supplier, there were clear rules of business-client behaviour. Residents would generally pay on time for fear their water would be cut off or their pipes damaged. Whoever would oppose the Triad's monopoly would be blackmailed and attacked.

Those involved in the clearance are reluctant to admit how extensive the main water supply was tapped, but it is unrealistic to assume that 33,000 people and 700 businesses could have been supplied by 67 ground wells alone. The decision was made that it was better to turn a blind eye since to close down the illegal supplies would have caused unnecessary hardship for the residents and bring increased resentment.