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The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
The four contractors will begin replacing non-compliant water pipes in the common areas in the 11 public rental housing (PRH) developments with excess lead in water on March 14.
A Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) spokesman said today (March 2) that, in order to rectify the problem of excess lead in water, the HA has requested the contractors concerned to replace the non-compliant water pipes in the PRH developments with excess lead in water. The HA announced in December last year that the four contractors would first conduct trial works in four of the affected estates, namely Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate Phase 1, Kai Ching Estate, Wing Cheong Estate and Kwai Luen Estate Phase 2, by replacing the water pipes in some common areas. It was also said that once the trial works were completed, the contractors would work out a more detailed work plan and timetable for the rectification works in all 11 affected developments based on data and practical experience.
The spokesman said that the trial works in the four affected estates have now been largely completed. The four contractors will begin rectification works in the 11 affected PRH developments on March 14. The contractors will replace the non-compliant water pipes in the common areas first, while those inside individual units will only be replaced at the next stage. The actual time required for replacing the non-compliant water pipes in the common areas in each estate would depend on factors such as the number and design of the blocks involved, weather conditions and allocation of resources including workers. As for the detailed work plan and timetable for rectification works inside flats, the HA will announce the arrangements after the works in the common areas have been completed, prior to the commencement of works inside flats.
The spokesman said, "The rectification works to replace the non-compliant pipes in the common areas will inevitably bring about some inconvenience for tenants, for example temporary suspension of water supply, mounting of gondolas or scaffolding on external walls, dismantling of laundry racks, use of passenger lifts to convey materials during non-peak hours and use of some public space in the estates for workshops. We hope to have tenants' understanding. The HA will ask the contractors to minimise the nuisance caused to tenants during the trial works, including noise and dust."
Regarding the detailed arrangements of the rectification works in the common areas including the scope, dates, sequence and water suspension times, the HA will put up notices in the estates and distribute newsletters to tenants. The contractors' workers will wear uniforms and identification badges. For each estate, the contractor concerned will set up a hotline and deploy ambassadors to answer tenants' enquiries.
Ends/Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:00
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