Joint Office for Investigation of Water Seepage Complaints responds to media enquiries
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In relation to media enquiries on a report of water seepage in Cheung Wo Court in Kwun Tong, the Joint Office for Investigation of Water Seepage Complaints (JO) today (May 2) responded as follows:
Upon receipt of reports of water seepage, staff of the JO would be sent to the complainant’s premises to conduct inspection and investigation. After identifying the source of water seepage, if it falls into the nuisances (such as seepage of wastewater) stipulated in section 12 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) (the Ordinance), the JO would issue a Nuisance Notice to the owner(s) of the premises causing the seepage problem. Other cases not involving the nuisances under the Ordinance (such as seepage of rainwater due to structural defects of roofs, external walls or windows, and leakage from dilapidated fresh water mains, etc.) would be referred by the JO to relevant departments for follow-up actions as necessary.
Regarding the premises concerned, the JO received a complaint of water seepage in June last year. Staff was deployed to the premises for investigation and the moisture content of the location reported was found below 35 per cent. According to the established mechanism of the JO, the case could not be followed up and the complainant was informed of the result in July last year. The JO received in February this year another complaint of suspected external wall water leakage concerning the premises. The staff of the JO had explained to the complainant that seepage of rainwater through the external wall falls out of the remit of the JO. The case was thus referred to the Independent Checking Unit under the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Housing (the Unit) for follow-up.
Upon receiving the referral case in February this year, the Unit had promptly contacted the complainant and was informed by the complainant that the repair work of the building concerned had been completed, and no follow-up action from the Unit was required.