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Water sampling tests for 29 public rental housing (PRH) estates completed before 2005 have been completed. All data met the World Health Organization (WHO)'s guideline value for lead in drinking water.
The Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) announced on July 24 that water sampling tests would be conducted for all PRH estates. It was announced on September 24 that systematic water sampling tests for PRH developments completed in and after 2005 had been completed. The Housing Department (HD) and the Water Supplies Department (WSD) are now adopting a two-step approach in conducting water sampling tests for the 143 PRH estates completed before 2005 by batches.
A spokesman for the HD said, "First of all, the HD and the WSD would conduct a representative screening for these estates by batches. Depending on the size of the estates, we will select several blocks from each of them, and take water samples from each of the selected blocks. If individual estates are found to have water samples containing excess lead content in the first stage, we will conduct systematic water sampling tests for all blocks within that estate, covering every independent fresh water supply system within each block, to determine the overall lead content in the drinking water of that estate."
The results announced today cover 29 PRH estates involving 500 water samples. Water test results of 114 PRH estates completed before 2005 have been announced so far. All samples were taken from the fresh water supply systems installed by HA, and all of them met the WHO's guideline limit (see Annex). HA will continue with this exercise and aim to complete it before the end of the year.
As for relief measures provided to tenants of the 11 estates in which water samples containing excess lead were found, the temporary water points for Kai Ching Estate, Kwai Luen Estate Phase 2, Wing Cheong Estate, Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate Phase 1, Hung Hom Estate Phase 2, Shek Kip Mei Estate Phase 2 and Yan On Estate have already been put into use. The works for the remaining four estates have been completed and the temporary water points are expected to be put into use within November. As for the water filters, installation for the households in the 11 estates has largely been completed except for those with whom we have difficulty in contacting. Besides, the Transport and Housing Bureau already announced on November 2 that the Government had conducted water tests again for 76 units in the 11 affected estates in which samples with excess lead content had been found and filters were subsequently installed by the contractors. All water test results met the WHO's guideline limit.
"As mentioned from time to time, we will keep in view the installation progress of the water filters and the temporary water points in the various estates, and will cease distributing bottled water after having considered the actual circumstances. As filter installation has largely been completed, and the temporary water points will all be put into use in the next few weeks, the HD will monitor the situation for a period of time and then announce the arrangements for ceasing the distribution of bottled water," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Issued at HKT 21:20
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