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In connection with the finding of lead content in the drinking water samples taken from 10 wall-mounted dispensers in eight kindergartens exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) provisional guideline value, the Government today (December 4) announced the results of the investigation, confirming that leaded soldering material in the dispensers was the major cause.
The Water Supplies Department (WSD), the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Government Laboratory jointly conducted rapid preliminary tests on the presence of lead in the related dispensers by using an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The results indicated the presence of lead at the solder joints of these dispensers. The WSD appointed the Hong Kong Productivity Council to conduct a study, which comprised tests on two used and four new wall-mounted dispensers of different brands purchased from the market. These included a 24-hour boiling water test (i.e. to fill up the wall-mounted dispenser with tap water and start boiling, maintain the hot water status for 24 hours and take water samples at the outlet tap every two hours during this period for the test), tests on the lead content of different components of the wall-mounted dispensers and tests on the amount of lead leached from the respective copper alloy components when they were submerged in hot water.
The results of the study revealed that leaded soldering material was the major source leading to excessive lead in drinking water in dispensers after boiling. Moreover, copper alloy components of new dispensers would leach comparatively more lead in hot water when they were used for the first time. However, the amount of lead leached from them would reduce after a few boiling and draining away cycles, and would not cause excessive lead in drinking water in dispensers after boiling. The study report has been uploaded to the WSD website (www.wsd.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/pdf/study_report_e.pdf).
Based on the conclusion of the study, the Government made the following recommendations with respect to the testing, purchase and use of wall-mounted dispensers:
1. The public should purchase products with international certification, which normally includes testing of product safety, such as those certified by the WaterMark of Australia, the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)/American National Standards Institute (ANSI) of the US and the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) of the UK; and
2. For those wall-mounted dispensers without relevant international certification, suppliers should arrange for the dispensers to undergo type tests by Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme-accredited laboratories, which can issue type test reports confirming that the boiled water from a model complies with the WHO provisional guideline value for lead. Suppliers should also distribute these type test reports together with the information on the lead content of the soldering materials and the components of the dispensers to sales agents and retail shops for display to the public for reference. The public should purchase wall-mounted dispensers with type test reports and lead-free soldering material as well as using low lead content components (less than 1 per cent).
A leaflet on the tips for using wall-mounted dispensers can be downloaded from the WSD website (www.wsd.gov.hk/filemanager/en/share/pdf/tips_for_using_wall_mounted_dispensers_e.pdf) and will be available at the Public Enquiry Service Centres of the Home Affairs Department and the Customer Enquiry Centres of the WSD. Copies will also be distributed to relevant organisations and associations such as schools, hospitals, social welfare units and associations of the catering industry for practitioners' reference.
Ends/Friday, December 4, 2015
Issued at HKT 12:18
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