Ng Tat-kwan, a chief building services engineer, contradicted statement from licensed plumber
EDDIE.LEE@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Monday, 16 November, 2015, 3:58pm
UPDATED : Monday, 16 November, 2015, 3:58pm
Ng Tat-kwan (right) said the Housing Authority’s on-site building team would check the materials for facilities outside pump rooms. Photo: David Wong
The Housing Authority denied that its building service engineers had not vetted the building materials for the construction of its public rental flats’ plumbing system, an inquiry into the water safety scare at 11 estates heard this morning.
The authority’s on-site building team would check the materials for facilities outside the pump rooms, whereas building service engineers examined the relevant documents and test reports of materials to be used, said Ng Tat-kwan, a chief building services engineer at the authority.
Ng, who designed pump rooms, said works outside pump rooms mainly involved installation and fixing equipment and could be done by less-skilled workers.
Licensed plumber Lam Tak-sum, who handled water pipe installation on some public housing estates, said in a written statement that the authority’s on-site chief building service engineers did not require him to resubmit paperwork for approval after different building materials were delivered.
“That’s impossible. There’s no such position as ‘on-site chief building service engineer’ at the authority,” said Ng.
But he added the “on-site chief building service engineers” might come from the main contractor responsible for public housing projects.
Ng said related documents had to be submitted, but in most cases the submission of samples of the other type of material to be used was not required in the building contract.
The official said contractors or subcontracted plumbers usually co-ordinated with the authority’s staff in deciding whether to submit samples of different building materials to be used for approval.
“They sometimes took the initiative to submit the samples for approval,” said Ng.
Excess lead was found in materials used to solder pipes at 11 public housing estates, prompting the government to set up the inquiry.
The commission of inquiry, chaired by High Court judge Mr Justice Andrew Chan Hing-wai, was to ascertain the causes of excess lead found in drinking water at public housing projects and make recommendations to ensure water safety.
The hearings were to continue into January.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1879265/plumbing-materials-vetted-says-hong-kong-housing
