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Water sampling tests for three 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.
A spokesman for the Housing Department (HD) today (September 24) said, "As previously pointed out, 2005 was a watershed year in construction of public housing estates. In general, the water pipes in PRH estates completed before 2005 were connected mechanically and no soldering had been used. Therefore, when we announced on July 24 that systematic water sampling tests would be conducted for PRH estates, we mentioned that we aimed to complete the tests for PRH estates completed in and after 2005 within two months first, after which we would, based on experience and data, consider how to conduct water sampling tests for PRH estates completed before 2005. However, despite such a broad distinction, there are exceptions. Individual PRH developments completed in or after 2005 did not use soldering in general; while a small number of developments completed before 2005 used soldering in pipe connections."
HD and the Water Supplies Department (WSD) have now completed systematic water sampling tests for PRH developments completed in and after 2005. The following are the results of water sampling tests for the last three PRH developments completed in 2005. All three developments used lined galvanized iron pipes with no soldering in pipe connections. All samples, which were taken from the fresh water supply systems installed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)'s main contractors, met the WHO's guideline value -
* Kwai Chung Estate Phase 4 (Chin Kwai House, Tsz Kwai House): 70 samples;
* Kwai Chung Estate Phase 5 (Hiu Kwai House, Ying Kwai House, Yuk Kwai House, Nga Kwai House, Yat Kwai House): 152 samples; and
* Kwai Chung Estate Phase 3 Kwai Chung Shopping Centre: 6 samples.
Details are at Annex 1.
"Similar to previous batches of water sampling test results announced, the developments announced today also include non-domestic facilities used for commercial, social service, educational purposes etc. They are located on the lower levels of the domestic blocks or in standalone buildings. Some non-domestic facilities share the same fresh water supply system as the domestic portion, while others are fed by a separate system which is independent from that of the domestic portion. If the fresh water supply system of the non-domestic portion is independent from that of the domestic portion, 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. For the independent fresh water supply systems of the PRH developments announced today, we have taken samples from the systems installed by the HA's main contractors in the common area, and all samples met the WHO's guideline value. However, as mentioned previously, most of the fresh water supply systems inside non-domestic units are installed by the tenants themselves. Therefore, the water test results announced today reflect the lead content in drinking water of the water supply systems in the common area, but not that inside the non-domestic units,' the spokesman said.
"As mentioned previously, when conducting water sampling tests, our primary concern is the quality of drinking water supplied to domestic tenants, but we have not neglected that supplied to the non-domestic tenants. In some PRH developments of which the sampling test results have already been announced, there are some non-domestic facilities located in standalone buildings, which are fed by independent fresh water supply systems. We have also taken samples from these independent fresh water supply systems installed by the HA's main contractors in the common area. The tests have now been completed. All samples met the WHO's guideline value. These standalone buildings include - Shek Pai Wan Estate Phase 1 Shek Pai Wan Shopping Centre, Hoi Lai Estate Phase 3 (i.e. Hoi Lai Shopping Centre), Un Chau Estate Phase 5 Un Him House (i.e. Ancillary Facilities Block), Cheung Lung Wai Estate Ancillary Facilities Block and Cheung Lung Lane, Tak Long Estate carpark block and kindergarten, Cheung Sha Wan Estate Ancillary Facilities Block, Lung Yat Estate Lung Yat Community Hall, Mei Tin Estate free standing block and Yau Lai Estate Phase 5 carpark block. We will notify relevant non-domestic tenants separately that the samples taken from the parts installed by the HA's main contractors in the common area met the WHO's guideline value," the spokesman said.
HD and WSD have now completed systematic water sampling tests for PRH developments completed in and after 2005, as well as individual PRH developments completed before 2005 which had used soldering. As mentioned above, individual PRH developments completed in or after 2005 did not use soldering in general. Including the three developments announced today, HD and WSD have conducted water sampling tests for nine PRH estates involving 12 PRH developments which used stainless steel pipes or lined galvanized iron pipes without soldering in pipe connections. All sampling test results met the WHO's guideline value.
"This observation is consistent with our current views, i.e. for PRH developments which did not used soldering in general, there would be one fewer risk factor leading to excessive lead in drinking water. We will collate and analyse the water test results of the estates mentioned above that had not used soldering. At the same time, we will keep in view the findings, which are expected to be available shortly, of the WSD's task force on investigation of cause of excessive lead content in drinking water. 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 is 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.
As for the measures to assist tenants of PRH estates affected by excessive lead in drinking water, the latest progress is at Annex 2.
Ends/Thursday, September 24, 2015
Issued at HKT 21:41
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