The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (August 7) announced that the department tested 75 water samples collected from cooling towers in 51 buildings during its routine inspections in July 2025. 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 samples were collected are located at Hong Man Industrial Centre, 2 Hong Man Street, Eastern, and 3 Tak Ku Ling Road, Kowloon City. 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. Among them, the owner of one cooling tower has already completed the disinfection work. The EMSD has instructed again the owner of the cooling tower of the remaining case at 3 Tak Ku Ling Road, Kowloon City, to complete the disinfection work within a prescribed period. Details of the 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 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 Fresh Water Cooling Towers issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of legionella.

Ends/Thursday, August 7, 2025
Issued at HKT 12:40

NNNN