Quality Water Supply Scheme for Buildings - Fresh Water (Plus)

1 Cover Quality Water Supply Scheme for Buildings Fresh Water (Plus) Fresh Water Plumbing System -Used pipe materials and fittings complying with relevant standards + Fresh Water Tank - Cleansed every 3 months + Fresh Water Plumbing System -Inspected and maintained regularly = Quality Fresh Water On tap Picture Quality Water Supply Scheme for Buildings Fresh Water (Plus) Page 1/5 Inner page Quality Water Supply Scheme for Buildings Fresh Water (Plus) 1. Introduction The treated Fresh Water provided by the Water Supplies Department (WSD) complies fully with World Health Organisation s (WHO s) Guidelines for Drinking- Water Quality .

2 Well-maintained Water plumbing systems are keys to a healthy environment for Water consumption and good Quality Water to consumers. To encourage building /property owners and property managers to properly maintain their internal plumbing systems, the WSD launched Fresh Water Plumbing Quality Maintenance Recognition Scheme in July 2002. The said Scheme was re-titled Quality Water Supply Scheme for Buildings Fresh Water in March 2015. In view of excessive lead content found in drinking Water samples taken from some public housing estates, the WSD has consulted the Advisory Committee on Water Resources and Quality of Water Supplies and launched the enhancement measures of the Scheme in December 2015, which include testing of heavy metals and to expand scope of Water sampling, and the Scheme is re-titled Quality Water Supply Scheme for Buildings Fresh Water (Plus) (the Scheme ).

3 2. Objectives The Scheme aims to: (a). raise the awareness of the building /property owners, building management agents and customers of the importance of proper maintenance of the internal plumbing systems and the use of pipe materials and fittings complying with the relevant British Standards for potable Water use in their own units; (b). enable the public and overseas visitors to have greater confidence of the Water Quality at the tap; (c). strengthen the capability of building management agents to achieve value-added performance in meeting the needs of customers with respect to Quality of tap Water ; (d). give recognition to building management agents who can demonstrate consistent compliance with the prescribed criteria under the Scheme ; and (e).

4 Assist the building /property owners and building management agents to conduct self-assessments on conditions of the internal plumbing system and to identify areas for necessary maintenance. 3. The Scheme The Scheme is administered by the WSD. Participation in the Scheme is voluntary and there is no new application or renewal fee. The target groups to join the Scheme are the building /property owners, owners corporations and building management agents in Quality Water Supply Scheme for Buildings Fresh Water (Plus) Page 2/5 general. They shall submit new/renewal applications to the WSD using Form A and Annex I to Form A (and Form B (for change of building management agents))(available on ).

5 The WSD will award certificates to successful Buildings to recognise proper maintenance of their internal plumbing systems. The certificates are classified into three grades according to the length of the continuous period for which a building has joined the Scheme : Type of certificate Length of continuous participation* Validity Blue new application Less than 4 years 2 years#Blue renewal Less than 4 years Silver renewal 4 years or more but less than 6 years Gold renewal 6 years or more *Continuous participation means there is no break of more than 3 months. Besides, qualification for upgrading the certificate shall remain the same for those applicants who have already joined the old Scheme before the launching of the enhanced Scheme , in general a shorter participation period is required for upgrading the certificate.

6 #For new applications, the validity period is extended from 1 year to 2 years to encourage participation; however, applicants shall submit documents ( those required for application except Water Quality examination) within 3 months after 1 year from the start of the validity period to demonstrate continuous effort has been made to maintain the internal plumbing system. Renewal applications submitted later than 3 months after the expiry date of the last certificates will be considered as new applications. 4. Assessment of Applications (a). The internal plumbing system is inspected at least once every 3 months by qualified persons (such as licensed plumbers, building services engineers or building surveyors) and is found to be in good physical condition.

7 All defects identified in the inspections are promptly rectified by qualified persons; (b). The Water tanks are cleansed at least once every 3 months; and (c). Water samples shall be taken within 3 months from the date of submission of applications in accordance with the required procedures and tested for specified items, and the test results shall comply with the respective acceptable limits. 5. Water Quality Examination This aspect will be enhanced to extend the scope of sampling process to both the communal area and the non-communal area of the internal plumbing system. Details of the enhancement measures are as follows: (i) include 4 types of heavy metal of Lead, Cadmium, Chromium and Nickel in the testing parameters, for which the test reports/certificates complying with the requirement will be valid for 4 years.

8 If the applicants want to use the test results Quality Water Supply Scheme for Buildings Fresh Water (Plus) Page 3/5 of 4 heavy metals for two consecutive applications, they shall submit the first application within 3 months from the date of test results of 4 heavy metals and the subsequent renewal application within 3 months after the expiry of the first certificate. The requirements on the test reports/certificates for other test parameters ( pH, colour, turbidity, conductivity, Iron, E.)

9 Coli and total Coliforms) will remain unchanged; and (ii) extend the scope of sampling process to include sampling in both the communal area ( Basic Plan ) (for domestic and non-domestic Buildings ) and the non-communal area ( Extended Plan ) (for domestic Buildings only) of the internal plumbing system such that the samples1 shall be taken and collected by an accredited laboratory as per the WSD s standard procedures and tested by the accredited laboratory for physical, chemical and bacteriological analyses. Domestic Buildings could choose to participate in the Basic Plan or the Basic Plan plus the Extended Plan. Basic Plan Communal Area (for domestic and non-domestic Buildings ) The applicant can choose to participate in the Basic Plan of the Scheme and the Water samples to be taken in the communal area are as follows: No.

10 Of storeys in each building Water sampling locations 20 At least one set of samples1 at the top level for each roof tank (samples from the washout of roof tank are also acceptable) and at least one set of samples1 at the lowest point of each down feed pipe, or riser if down feed pipe does not exist, under the jurisdiction of the applicant > 20 At least one set of samples1 at the top level for each roof tank (samples from the washout of roof tank are also acceptable), at least one set of samples1 at the lowest point of each down feed pipe and at least one set of sample1 to be taken at an intermediate level between the top and the lowest point of each down feed pipe under the jurisdiction of the applicant For branched down feed pipes, one set of sample is to be taken at the lowest point of the branched pipe and for branched down feed pipes covered over 20 storeys, one set of sample at the intermediate level is also required.