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EMSD announces latest sampling results for Legionella bacteria at fresh water cooling towers
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     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (June 9) announced that the department tested 71 water samples collected from cooling towers in 66 buildings in May this year. Two samples were detected to have a Legionella bacteria count (LBC) at or above the upper threshold, which is 1 000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The latest statistics are set out in Annex 1.

     The cooling towers of the two cases in May are located at Wing Yip Industrial Building, 21-27 Wing Yip Street, Kwai Chung, and Fortune Factory Building Block A, 40 Lee Chung Street, Chai Wan. The EMSD has issued nuisance notices under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to the owners of these cooling towers requiring appropriate disinfection work to be taken. Among them, disinfection of the cooling towers at Wing Yip Industrial Building, Kwai Chung, has already been completed by the owners. Disinfection in the remaining case at Fortune Factory Building Block A, Chai Wan, is being arranged by the owner. Details of these two cases and the locations of buildings which were served with nuisance notices during the preceding three-month period as the LBC was found in the fresh water cooling towers to be equal to or above the upper threshold are set out in Annex 2. The EMSD publishes the latest statistics of the above information on a half-monthly basis on its website (www.emsd.gov.hk/emsd/eng/pps/oa_ct_stat.shtml).

     The EMSD reminds fresh water cooling tower owners that they have the responsibility to design, operate and maintain cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality of their cooling towers in accordance with the Code of Practice for Water-cooled Air Conditioning Systems issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of Legionella bacteria.

Ends/Monday, June 9, 2014
Issued at HKT 14:00

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