The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (September 7) announced that the department tested 75 water samples collected from cooling towers in 70 buildings in its routine inspections in August this year. Seven 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 seven samples were collected in August are located at Kwai Fong Industrial Building, 9-15 Kwai Cheong Road, Kwai Chung; Cheung Ching Shopping Centre, Tsing Yi; Kwun Tong Industrial Centre Phase 4, 436-446 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong; Kwun Tong Industrial Centre Phase 3, 448-458 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong; 27C Shui Wo Street, Kwun Tong; Sing Win Factory Building, 15-17 Shing Yip Street, Kwun Tong and 316 Castle Peak Road, Cheung Sha 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 seven cases has already been completed by the owners. Details of these seven 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/Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Issued at HKT 14:00

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