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The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (September 5) announced that the department tested 84 water samples collected from cooling towers in 72 buildings in its routine inspections in August this year. Seven 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 in which the seven samples were collected in August are located at 25 Texaco Road; 17 Tsuen Wan Market Street and 14 Chuen Lung Street; 77 Chuen Lung Street; 12-14 Hoi Pa Street, Tsuen Wan; 72 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok; Block B, Fortune Factory Building, 40 Lee Chung Street, Chai Wan; and 65 Stanley Main Street, Stanley. 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 done. Among them, disinfection of the cooling towers at 25 Texaco Road; 77 Chuen Lung Street, Tsuen Wan; and 65 Stanley Main Street, Stanley, has already been completed by the owners. Disinfection in the remaining cases at 17 Tsuen Wan Market Street and 14 Chuen Lung Street; 12-14 Hoi Pa Street, Tsuen Wan; 72 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok; and Block B, Fortune Factory Building, Chai Wan, is being arranged by the owners. Details of these seven cases, as well as the locations of buildings served with nuisance notices during the preceding three-month period because the LBC was found in their fresh water cooling towers to be equal to or above the upper threshold, are set out in Annex 2.
Apart from carrying out routine surveillance inspections, the EMSD assists the Centre for Health Protection in collecting water samples for testing for epidemiological investigation of Legionnaires' disease. In August, two samples were detected to have an LBC at or above the upper threshold, which is 1 000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The owners of the cooling towers have completed rectification work. Details of these two cases are also 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 are responsible for designing, operating and maintaining cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality in 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/Friday, September 5, 2014
Issued at HKT 14:00
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