************************************************************
Water sampling for five public rental housing (PRH) developments completed between 2006 and 2008 have now been completed. All data met the World Health Organization (WHO)'s guideline value for lead in drinking water.
A spokesman for the Housing Department (HD) said today (September 2) that the water samples taken from the following developments in which the fresh water supply systems were installed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)'s contractors, all met the WHO's guideline value:
* Oi Tung Estate (Oi Yat House): 23 samples;
* Shek Pai Wan Estate Phase 2 (Pik Shan House, Pik Yuen House, Pik Wai House, Pik Luk House): 95 samples;
* Lei Yue Mun Estate Phase 2 (Lei Lung House): 27 samples;
* Shek Lei (II) Estate (Shek Wai House, Shek Yi House): 48 samples; and
* Ching Ho Estate Phase 3 (Ching Chak House, Ching Long House, Ching Chiu House): 81 samples.
The spokesman said that, as mentioned previously, when conducting water sampling test, the primary concern is the quality of drinking water for domestic tenants, but that for the non-domestic tenants is not neglected. The fresh water supply system for non-domestic facilities is often independent from that of the domestic portion, and HA's contractors are generally responsible for the installation of the fresh water supply systems in the common areas of the non-domestic portion only. If such a fresh water supply system is independent from that of the domestic portion, there would be independent water sampling results for the two respective systems.
Among the above PRH developments, Oi Tung Estate, Lei Yue Mun Estate Phase 2, Shek Lei (II) Estate and Ching Ho Estate Phase 3 have a small number of non-domestic facilities located on the ground floor or lower levels of the domestic blocks, and their fresh water supply systems are independent from those of the domestic blocks. Therefore, samples have been taken from each of these independent fresh water supply systems, and all samples met the WHO's guideline value.
The HD and the Water Supplies Department are now systematically taking water samples from the remaining PRH estates completed between 2005 and 2010. The sampling work is expected to be completed within this month. As mentioned from time to time previously, the authority will, according to experience and data, consider how to conduct water sampling tests for PRH estates completed before 2005. The authority is now starting to collate relevant data and experience in preparation for the work. As pointed out previously, 2005 was a watershed year in construction of public housing estates, as in general the water pipes in public housing completed before then were connected mechanically and no soldering had been used. As solder used on water pipe joints is a cause of excessive lead in drinking water, there would be one fewer risk factor leading to excessive lead in drinking water for PRH estates completed before 2005 as no solder had been used in general. However, the possibility that solder had been used in isolated locations in these estates cannot be excluded. Therefore, the authority is now assessing the risk of excessive lead in drinking water, based on the materials and connection methods used in their fresh water supply systems, before determining how water sampling should be done.
As for the measures to assist affected tenants, the latest updates are listed in Annex.
Ends/Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Issued at HKT 22:08
NNNN
