Attaining urban water sustainability in Hong Kong: Three suggestions

Abstract

The information, practices and views in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). © 2017 Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers). Over several decades, Hong Kong has implemented a number of technological innovations for securing its water supply. But as population growth and the effects of climate change put pressure on existing water sources, new innovations combined with social adaptations will be required. This commentary offers three suggestions for moving toward urban water sustainability in Hong Kong. The suggestions are: diversify sources of water while minimising dependence on desalination, foster public engagement with water and implement water-sensitive urban design. These suggestions are not intended to be a panacea but to augment existing measures that when combined can move toward the attainment of urban water sustainability.