LCQ21: Application of Advanced Metering Infrastructure System
*************************************************************
Question:
With the ageing population in Hong Kong, the home safety of and emergency support for singleton elderly persons have drawn considerable social attention. There are views pointing out that some advanced cities around the world have been actively making use of big data analytics from smart infrastructures (such as smart water meters or electricity meters) to monitor the daily routines of singleton elderly persons, so as to prevent cases of solitary death. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number and percentage of domestic customers territory-wide with smart water meters installed to date since the Water Supplies Department (WSD) required new development projects to install the Advanced Metering Infrastructure System (AMIS), and among them, the number of public housing estates (including those under the Tenant Purchase Scheme) with smart water meters installed; and the specific timetable that the authorities have expected for completing the replacement of smart water meters for all domestic customers territory-wide;
(2) whether the WSD's smart water meter data analysis system, apart from being used for billing and monitoring water loss from the pipes, has established data sharing or interdepartmental co-ordination mechanisms with relevant departments to identify abnormal water consumption patterns of elderly persons, so as to provide appropriate support; if so, of the details; if not, whether the Government will study the use of the big data collected by smart water meters for analysis purposes on the basis of protecting personal privacy and obtaining the consent of households, so as to safeguard the home safety of high-risk elderly persons;
(3) whether the authorities will take as a pilot those old public housing estates under the Hong Kong Housing Authority with a relatively high proportion of elderly residents to explore using abnormal water consumption data from smart water meters as dynamic indicators for monitoring the home safety of elderly persons;
(4) whether the authorities will study sending notifications automatically to the District Services and Care Teams or estate office staff in the districts concerned when the AMIS issues alerts, so that staff can be promptly arranged to pay home visits to elderly persons and provide assistance; and
(5) whether the authorities will provide funding support to local research institutions or innovation and technology enterprises through the Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care or the Smart Government Innovation Lab to develop more accurate elderly safety algorithms and alert systems suited to Hong Kong's high-density living environment, using big data from public utilities such as smart water meters, thereby furthering the policy of leveraging technology to enhance the efficiency of targeted elderly care and targeted poverty alleviation?
Reply:
President,
In recent years, smart technologies have advanced rapidly. Technologies of wireless sensors, smart water meters, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics have become increasingly mature. Neighbouring countries and major cities in the Mainland have begun adopting these technologies for water-related services, effectively enhancing water supply reliability and comprehensively improving the efficiency and quality of water supply services.
Since 2018, the Water Supplies Department (WSD) has mandated the installation of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system at the user end for all new building projects. Utilising smart water meters (Note 1) and AI, this system analyses consumers' water consumption patterns, allowing consumers to check their water usage via a mobile application to assist in water conservation. Since 2021, the WSD has also been progressively replacing mechanical water meters with smart water meters in existing buildings.
In response to the various parts of the questions from the Hon Kenneth Lau, and in consultations with the relevant bureaux, the response is as follows:
(1) Regarding new buildings, as of May 2026, about 38 000 smart water meters have been installed in new building projects in Hong Kong. This includes about 27 000 meters in private buildings and about 11 000 meters in nine public housing estates. Currently, the WSD is processing applications for the installation of smart water meters for about 170 000 consumers, involving about 50 000 meters in new private buildings and about 120 000 meters in new public housing estates. It is expected that more new building projects will progressively install smart water meters.
Regarding existing buildings, as of May 2026, the WSD has replaced smart water meters for about 15 000 domestic and non-domestic consumers. About 7 000 of these are installed in private buildings, and about 8 000 are installed in three public housing estates. Subject to resource availability, the WSD plans to further replace smart water meters for another about 800 000 existing consumers from now until 2032. The WSD will consider giving priority to high water consumption users or those in remote areas to optimise water conservation and reduce manual meter-reading costs respectively.
In other words, taking the above figures into account, a total of about 53 000 consumers (the majority are domestic consumers) across Hong Kong have installed smart water meters, accounting for approximately 1.8 per cent of all domestic consumers in Hong Kong (Note 2). On top of it, taking into account the on-going and planned cases, it is estimated that by the end of 2032, no fewer than one million consumers will have installed smart water meters, representing approximately 31 per cent of all consumers in Hong Kong.
(2) Smart water meters can accurately and promptly record water consumption data, aiding in the analysis of usage patterns, and the WSD's smart water meter data processing system is technically capable of transmitting relevant data to consumers or the relevant departments authorised by the consumers for follow-up actions. Currently, the WSD has obtained applicants' consent during the meter application process to transfer collected data to other government bureaux and departments, provided that the specified purposes are related to the management of inside service or communal service. The WSD will explore expanding the purposes of sharing water meter data with other government bureaux and departments. However, it must also be noted that in practical operations, the data collected from the AMI system are subject to time lags (about several hours) and limitations (a user's water consumption pattern may change for various reasons, such as the elderly temporarily leaving his/her premises). Relying solely on smart water meters as the data source to judge the home safety of the elderly households concerned may therefore result in both missed alarms and false alarms. Other places, such as Japan, the UK, Germany, France and Shenzhen, employ multi-sensor monitoring networks that combine technology with proactive care to provide more effective home safety protection for high-risk elderly individuals.
The Labour and Welfare Bureau launched a two-year Pilot Scheme on Installing Intelligent Accident Detection Systems for High-risk Households in March 2026, under which intelligent accident detection systems will be installed on a pilot basis in no fewer than 300 high-risk households comprising singleton or doubleton elderly persons and households of carers of persons with disabilities. The Pilot Scheme is implemented under a Government-business-community collaboration model. Taking into account the constraints of Hong Kong's residential environment and the needs of the households, the scheme will test different combinations of devices, including detection of falls, prolonged stillness, smoke, and will also consider data collected by smart water meters, with a view to identifying viable technical configurations suited to the varying circumstances of carer families. The Government has commissioned the Hong Kong Shue Yan University to evaluate the effectiveness of the Pilot Scheme, which will serve as a reference for continuous implementation of, and adjustments or improvements to the measure in future. The WSD is pleased to explore with the Labour and Welfare Bureau the provision of smart water meters data to complement the needs of the relevant measures.
(3) & (4) The Housing Bureau stated that the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) has been actively promoting smart estate management by applying technologies such as IoT sensors, AI image analysis, mobile device applications and smart access control systems, for enhancing estate management efficiency, strengthening security and optimising service quality, and creating a safer and more liveable living environment for elderly tenants in public rental housing (PRH) estates. The HA is pleased to explore with the relevant departments the feasibility of data sharing and technical interfacing, and to study the use of smart methods using abnormal data as a supplementary indicator to better identify high-risk situations concerning home safety of elderly households, subject to privacy constraints and consent of the elderly tenants. The HA will, as always, continue to pay heed to the views of the community and make good use of technology to enhance elderly services and home safety in the PRH estates. The WSD stands ready to collaborate with the HA to explore how smart water meter data can support the HA's smart estate management, thereby assisting estate offices in following up on elderly care cases.
(5) The Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care under the supervision of the Labour and Welfare Bureau subsidises eligible elderly and rehabilitation service units to procure, rent and try out technology products, so as to improve the quality of life of service users as well as reduce the burden and pressure of care staff and carers. Meanwhile, providing funding support for development of alert systems is not within its scope of application. On the other hand, the Smart Government Innovation LAB (Smart LAB) under the Digital Policy Office under the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau collects the business needs of government departments in public service delivery through its thematic website, and invites the industry to submit technology solutions and product suggestions to meet relevant needs, helping government departments accelerate their adoption of innovation and technology, such as AI, robotics, data analytics and IoT applications, in order to enhance the quality and efficiency of public services. The Smart LAB will continue to help government departments in different service areas by matching suitable solutions and arranging regular technology sharing and promotional activities, to promote the adoption of innovative technologies, including gerontechnology applications and smart elderly care solutions.
Note 1: Smart water meters can automatically record water consumption data and transmit it rapidly to the WSD via a communication network in replacement of traditional manual meter reading. The system enhances the efficiency and accuracy of meter reading, encourages users to conserve water, facilitates early detection of leaks in inside water mains, and optimises the planning and operation of the water supply system.
Note 2: At present, there are a total of about 3 278 000 consumers, of which about 2 957 000 are domestic consumers.
Ends/Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:45
Issued at HKT 15:45
NNNN