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Water sampling tests at nine public rental housing (PRH) developments have now been completed. All data met the World Health Organization (WHO)'s guideline value for lead in drinking water. These samples were all taken from the fresh water supply systems installed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)'s main contractors.
A spokesman for the Housing Department (HD) today (September 10) said, "The year 2005 was a watershed in the construction of public housing estates, as previously pointed out. In general, the water pipes in PRH estates completed before 2005 were connected mechanically and no soldering had been used. Therefore, the HD and the Water Supplies Department (WSD) have all along been systematically taking water samples from PRH estates completed after 2005 for testing. Despite such a broad distinction, there are exceptions. Individual PRH developments completed after 2005 did not use soldering in general, while a small number of developments completed before 2005 used soldering in pipe connections. The former category includes the previously announced Tak Long Estate, Hung Fuk Estate and Shek Lei (II) Estate (Shek Foon House), as well as Hin Yiu Estate and Shek Yam Estate Phase 5 (Lai Shek House), the water sampling test results of which are announced today. The latter category includes three PRH blocks in three respective estates, completed in 2003 and 1994, which had piloted the use of soldering. Although these three PRH blocks were completed before 2005, to ensure that our systematic water sampling test covers all PRH estates that had used soldering in pipe connections, we have also conducted water sampling tests for these three PRH blocks and are going to announce their results today."
Following are the results of water sampling tests for the fresh water supply systems installed by the HA's main contractors in nine PRH developments, all of which met the WHO's guideline value:
Developments completed after 2005, with soldering used in copper pipe connections:
กฏ Kwai Chung Estate (Pak Kwai House, Hop Kwai House): 81 samples;
กฏ Mei Tin Estate Phase 1 and 2 (Mei Sau House, Mei Lai House, Mei King House, Mei Chi House) and Mei Tin Shopping Centre: 95 samples;
กฏ Hoi Lai Estate Phase 4 (Hoi Shui House): 23 samples; and
กฏ Kwai Chung Estate Phase 3 (Chui Kwai House, Pik Kwai House, Luk Kwai House): 84 samples.
Developments completed after 2005, with no soldering used in galvanized iron pipe connections:
กฏ Hin Yiu Estate (Hin Yiu House): 26 samples; and
กฏ Shek Yam Estate Phase 5 (Lai Shek House): 9 samples.
Developments completed before 2005, with soldering used in copper pipe connections:
กฏ Kwai Shing (East) Estate (Shing Wo House): 59 samples;
กฏ Tsz Lok Estate (Lok Foon House): 23 samples; and
กฏ Lok Fu Estate (Lok Tsui House): 16 samples.
Details are at Annex.
"As mentioned from time to time previously, PRH estates often include non-domestic facilities used for commercial, social service, educational purposes etc, and the HA's main contractors are generally responsible for the installation of the fresh water supply systems in the common area of the non-domestic portion only. Some non-domestic facilities share the same fresh water supply system as the domestic portion, while others are fed by fresh water supply systems that are independent from those of the domestic portion. If the fresh water supply system of the non-domestic portion is independent from that of the domestic portion, the HD and WSD will conduct separate water sampling tests for the two independent systems, and the test results for the two systems are also independent from each other. Some PRH developments announced today have fresh water supply systems installed for a standalone building or the lower levels of the domestic blocks, which are independent from the systems of the domestic portion. We have taken samples from the parts installed by the HA's main contractors in each of these independent fresh water supply systems, and all samples met the WHO's guideline value," the spokesman said.
The spokesman added that the HD and WSD are now systematically conducting water sampling tests for the few remaining PRH developments completed in 2005, which include some PRH estates that had not used soldering in pipe connections. "When we announced our decision to conduct systematic water sampling tests for PRH estates on July 24, we mentioned that we aimed to complete the tests for PRH estates completed after 2005 within two months, after which we would, based on experience and data, consider how to conduct water sampling tests for PRH estates completed before 2005. In view of the current progress, we will be able to complete the water sampling tests for PRH estates completed after 2005 within the expected timeframe. We will then collate, and conduct detailed analysis of, the water test results of all the estates that had not used soldering, including those of Tak Long Estate, Hung Fuk Estate and Shek Lei (II) Estate (Shek Foon House), all of which met the WHO's guideline value. At the same time, we will keep in view the findings of the WSD's Task Force on Excessive Lead Content in Drinking Water on the cause of the excessive lead content in water, which are expected to be available shortly. All of the above information and findings will enable us to come up with an objective method to conduct a representative sampling survey on the lead content in drinking water in PRH estates completed before 2005 (i.e. where no soldering had been used in general). Once the survey has been completed, we will analyse and announce the relevant results, and consider whether it is necessary to ascertain and follow-up on the water quality of these PRH estates that had not used soldering," the spokesman said.
Ends/Thursday, September 10, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:37
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