NAOMI NGnaomi.ng@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 03 November, 2015, 12:31am
UPDATED : Tuesday, 03 November, 2015, 12:31am
The Waterworks Ordinance stipulates that licensed plumbers are solely responsible for supervising projects, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers stated. Photo: May Tse
The lead-in-water scandal has revealed that the Water Supplies Department's regulations governing licensed plumbers are outdated, according to a statutory body of professional engineers.
The Waterworks Ordinance stipulates that licensed plumbers are solely responsible for supervising projects - a practice that is no longer appropriate given the complexities of today's multimillion-dollar projects, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers stated.
"It's about finding the right person to do the right job," Chan Chi-chiu, the institution's president, said yesterday.
"There is nothing [in the legal framework] to prevent somebody who has very little experience from taking charge of a very, very major project, and that's not healthy."
A resident of Kai Ching Estate fetches water from the newly installed temporary pipes. Photo: May Tse
Over the past few months, tens of thousands of residents at 11 public housing estates have found themselves at the centre of a contamination scare after excessive levels of lead were found in their drinking water. Blame for the scandal has shifted from licensed plumbers to water supplies contractors and to the government.
Although the government's task force investigation confirmed the problem was caused by solder material in pipe joints, there has still been no clarification as to who exactly should be held responsible.
There are around 2,900 licensed plumbers in Hong Kong, according to the Water Supplies Department. But they are only given one licence level, meaning it encompasses a very diverse group of workers with varying years of experience, and there are no constraints on what projects each plumber can take.
"There are many plumbers with many years of experience, and they should be honoured properly," said Peter Wong, a former president of the institution.
The institution, which released its findings in a report after setting up a task force to review the controversy, also proposed that the Housing Department should set up a certified list of subcontractors since under the current system plumbing contractors outsourced jobs to subcontractors themselves.
A judge-led commission of inquiry has begun substantive hearings into the scandal. It will hear testimony from witnesses including the housing minster, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, and Deputy Director of Housing Ada Fung Yin-suen.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1875116/outdated-rules-give-hong-kong-plumbers-too-much
