The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (October 7) announced that the department tested 94 water samples collected from cooling towers in 88 buildings in its routine inspections in September this year. Eight 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 eight samples were collected in September are located at Luen Hing Factory Building, 109 King Lam Street, Cheung Sha Wan; Wah Mei Building, 156 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok; Lok Fu Mansion, 203 Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok; 517 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok; 151 Nam Cheong Street, Sham Shui Po; Zung Fu Industrial Building, 1067 King's Road, Quarry Bay; Rialto Mansion,177-191A King's Road, North Point, and 24-26 Wu Pak Street, Aberdeen. 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 eight cases has already been completed by the owners. Details of these eight cases can 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/Friday, October 7, 2016
Issued at HKT 14:00

NNNN