As revealed in some overseas cases that fresh water cooling towers could be sources of spreading legionella, which will pose risk to the public’s health if the fresh water cooling towers are not properly designed, installed, operated and maintained. To address the public’s concern about the risk of contracting legionella from the cooling towers, the EMSD has been regulating water quality of FWCT under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap 132 (PHMSO) since 2011.
The owners of cooling towers should ensure proper operation and maintenance [PDF format (3.12MB)] including water treatment of their cooling towers so as to prevent contamination and nuisances to the public.
To facilitate proper operation and maintenance of fresh water cooling towers, EMSD has prepared a video and a sample specification in procuring operation and maintenance services for cooling towers for reference by owners and property management agencies :-
Reminder on proper design and installation:
The owners should properly design and install their fresh water cooling towers according to the "Code of Practice for Fresh Water Cooling Towers, CoP(FWCT)" issued by EMSD. They should ensure that their proposed cooling towers are suitably located, with proper design and installation provisions for prevention of Legionnaires' disease. Owners are advised to apply early in the planning / design stage of the proposed cooling tower installations for joining the Fresh Water Cooling Towers Scheme, Owners are also reminded to ensure compliance of their installations with relevant statutory requirements, such as the requirements under the Waterworks Ordinance and Buildings Ordinance etc.
The owners may refer to the Water Supplies Department's webpage on "Do Not Install Unauthorized Fresh Water Cooling Towers” for more details. Relevant promotional leaflet [PDF format (75KB)] and poster [PDF format (93KB)] can also be downloaded from the webpage.
If fresh water cooling towers are found being so foul, or in such a state, as to be a nuisance or injurious or dangerous to health under the PHMSO, it can be dealt with summarily under the ordinance.
With delegated powers from the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene under the PHMSO with effect from 24 January 2011, EMSD can enter premises and take water samples from the fresh water cooling towers for conducting, testing. If water samples taken from FWCTs by EMSD are found with total legionella count at or above the upper threshold of 1 000 cfu/ml, EMSD shall issue a nuisance notice under the PHMSO to instruct the owners of the FWCTs to carry out emergency decontamination with water re-testing as per the Code of Practice for Fresh Water Cooling Towers for abatement within a prescribed period. Anyone fails to comply with the requirements of the nuisance notice is an offence under the PHMSO.
EMSD has been carrying out inspections and water sampling of fresh water cooling towers since from April 2011. Depending on test results, EMSD will take regulatory actions against those owners of cooling towers concerned in accordance with the provisions under the PHMSO.
EMSD handles queries and complaints regarding any improperly maintained or contaminated fresh water cooling towers causing nuisances as appropriate. Depending on investigation results, EMSD will take regulatory actions in accordance with the provisions under the PHMSO if required.