Government implements new procedures for investigating water seepage in private buildings starting today
The Joint Office (JO), set up by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Buildings Department, has fully implemented new procedures for investigating water seepage in private buildings starting today (July 16). All water seepage cases received from today onwards will be handled according to the new procedures.
A spokesperson for the JO said, "The new procedures shorten the time required to investigate and resolve water seepage issues by streamlining the investigation process, adopting advanced technology, and encouraging owners to resolve matters through co-ordination and mediation. If there is reason to believe that the seepage is caused by an upper floor unit, the JO will issue a Notification Letter to the owner of the upper unit within approximately 14 working days after receiving a report, requesting inspection and repair works to be completed within 28 calendar days - about 57 working days earlier than the previous practice of issuing a Nuisance Notice only after completing all investigations. The owners of the upper-floor unit can receive the notification at an earlier stage to handle the water seepage issue under the new procedures, and thus fulfil their responsibility promptly and resolve the problem quickly."
Water seepage in private buildings, Photo source: reference image
Under the new procedures, infrared thermography will be introduced at the Stage I investigation and be used with electronic moisture meters simultaneously to assess seepage conditions and preliminarily identify the source of the seepage. If seepage persists after the period specified in the Notification Letter, the JO will conduct Stage II and Stage III investigations in parallel to expedite the water seepage investigation process. The JO will also issue a Nuisance Notice according to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) and the investigation results requiring abatement of the public health nuisances within a specified period. Upon expiry of the period, the JO will conduct a review as well as a confirmatory test as necessary. For cases of non-compliance, the JO will institute prosecution based on evidence and further apply to the court for a Nuisance Order, and recover the examination costs of not less than $17,000 from owners of the upper units failing to fulfil their responsibilities.
To dovetail with the implementation of the new procedures, the Government will provide technical and financial support, and assist owners of upper units in need to carry out inspection and repair works on their own. Members of the public can visit the dedicated water seepage webpage for the lists of professionals and contractors interested in providing seepage investigation and repair services, a list of mediators, and information on financial assistance schemes. Furthermore, the Government has included reference prices for seepage investigations and repairs on the dedicated water seepage webpage.
Starting from today, all water seepage cases received by the JO will be handled according to the new procedures. Cases received before this date will continue to be followed up under the previous procedures. If members of the public have any questions regarding their cases, they may contact the Regional Joint Office at the following numbers: 3691 8479 (Hong Kong), 3156 1942 (Kowloon), 3426 3346 (New Territories East), and 3150 8370 (New Territories West). For more information, please visit the dedicated water seepage webpage (www.waterseepage.gov.hk/en/water_seepage/pilot_scheme.html).
Water seepage in private buildings, Photo source: reference image
