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The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (July 11) announced that the department tested 91 water samples collected from cooling towers in 87 buildings in its routine inspections in June this year. Two samples were detected to have a total legionella count at or above the upper threshold, which is 1 000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The latest statistics are set out in Annex 1.
The cooling towers in which the two samples were collected in June are located at 13 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po, and 32 Bonham Strand West, Sheung Wan. The EMSD has issued nuisance notices under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to the owners of the cooling towers requiring appropriate disinfection work to be done. Disinfection of the cooling towers in these two cases has already been completed by the owners. Details of these two cases can be found in Annex 2.
Apart from carrying out routine surveillance inspections, the EMSD assists the Centre for Health Protection in collecting water samples for testing for epidemiological investigation of Legionnaires' disease. In June, one sample was detected to have a total legionella count at or above the upper threshold. The owner of the cooling tower has completed disinfection work. Details of this case can also be found in Annex 2. The EMSD publishes the latest statistics of the above information on a half-monthly basis on its website (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/other_regulatory_services/cooling_towers/water_sampling/index.html).
The EMSD reminds the owners of fresh water cooling towers that they have the responsibility to design, operate and maintain cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality in their cooling towers in accordance with the Code of Practice for Water-cooled Air Conditioning Systems issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of legionella.
Ends/Monday, July 11, 2016
Issued at HKT 14:01
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