*********************************************************
Since the discovery of excess lead in drinking water in some public rental housing (PRH) estates, the Government and the Hong Kong Housing Authority have taken a series of measures to minimise the inconvenience in gaining access to safe drinking water for the tenants of the 11 affected PRH estates. The measures have included the supply of bottled water, installation of standpipes, and requesting the contractors concerned to install temporary water points by connecting pipes from the rooftop tank to each floor of the block, as well as install filters/replace filter cores within two years for affected domestic households free of charge.
As mentioned from time to time, the Housing Department (HD) has been keeping in view the installation progress of the water filters and the temporary water points on each floor of the various estates, and will cease distribution of bottled water after the temporary water points on each floor in the last estate are put into use and allowing tenants a period of adjustment.
An HD spokesman said today (December 17), "As announced on December 10, filter installation has been completed, and the temporary water points on each floor in all 11 estates have been put into use. As tenants in the various estates are now able to gain access to safe drinking water through water filters and the temporary water points on each floor, we have decided to cease distribution of bottled water by the end of this year. We now announce that the distribution of bottled water in the 11 affected estates will cease altogether on December 28. In determining this date, we have taken into account factors such as the festive season and holidays."
Ends/Thursday, December 17, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:00
NNNN
