ACQWS Paper No. 18 Proposed Extension of Validity of Renewal Certificate
Fresh Water Plumbing Quality Maintenance Recognition Scheme (FWPQMRS) The Working Group on Water Quality in Buildings (WGQWB) has discussed the proposal of the Water Supplies Department (WSD) on (i) extension of the validity of a renewal certificate from 1 year to 2 years; (ii) a revision of the water examination requirement for renewal certificate from once per year to once every two years. Having given considerations to the following, the group has drawn up proposed amendments with a view to seeking the endorsement of the Committee:
(a) WSD’s review has shown favourable results: (i) only one case of negative media report on an awarded public housing estate due to tenants pressing for replumbing in their individual flats, which was resolved by Housing Department within their established criteria; (ii) only one water quality complaint from an individual flat of an awarded building, which was settled after replacement of the corroded plumbing of the flat concerned; (iii) existing spot-checking mechanism being effective - revealing only minor deviations.
(b) WSD has provided overseas reference on water examination requirements on consumers, indicating that the WHO, UK, USA, Australia, Malaysia and Taipei do no have such stipulation while Singapore and Shenzhen require tank cleaning and water examination for every 12 and 6 months respectively. (Vide Annex A).
(c) Quality of water supply from tanks hinges on frequency of tank cleaning while water examination gives indication of the water quality only at that point of time. FWPQMRS requires quarterly tank cleaning.
(d) From WSD’s continuous monitoring result on water quality including random sampling at consumer taps on indirect supply, failure cases are very rare.
(e) Credibility of the Scheme must be ensured for new renewal arrangement. Endorsement Sought 2. Members' endorsement is sought on proposed amendments for renewal of the Scheme as follows:
(a) the validity of the renewal certificate is to be extended from 1 year to 2 years;
(b) the water examination requirement for renewal applications is to be changed from once a year to once every two years;
(c) to minimize applicant’s effort in providing documents, requirement to provide licence or registration certificate is to be deleted and only the 3 immediately past Records of Cleaning Water Tanks and Inspection Results
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of Plumbing are required (vide Section E of Annex B); (d) for spot-checking of renewal cases, WSD will conduct a site inspection for
every 20th renewal application to verify the correctness of inspection items. Half of the inspection will be conducted before the certificate is issued and the remaining half inspection 1 year after the issue of renewal certificate. Rectifications of non-compliance cases will be required; (for spot-checking new applications, WSD will continue to conduct site inspection for every 20th application to verify the correctness of inspection items before certificate issued.)
(e) renewal application can be submitted not earlier than 3 months before the expiry of the last certificate or not later than 3 months after the expiry. Then, the renewal certificate will be effective right from the expiry of last certificate. (Sample renewal certificate is attached as Annex C). Otherwise, the application will be treated as brand new and validity of the certificate will be reset for 1 year, starting from a new approval date;
(f) to ensure compliance with requirements of the FWPQMRS when there is a change in building management company, the owners/ Incorporated Owners are now required to undertake in the Section G of Application/Renewal Application Form (Page 3 of Annex B) to ensure that the new management company within 1 month upon taking up will submit the Undertaking Form (Annex D) for the certificate to remain valid. Failing that, the existing certificate will expire on the same day the management company changes. WSD will send a reminder to the owner/Incorporated Owners 1 month prior to the expiry of existing management contract.
Water Supplies Department September 2006 WSD 364/1/13/1/1/04 Pt. 1
Annex A
Findings on overseas water testing requirements on consumers or agents for plumbing owned and maintained by them
Country/Region /City
water testing requirements on consumers or agents for plumbing owned and maintained by them
Internet hyperlink URL (First connected to internet, then click on the hyperlink, see the document in internet browser)
World Health Organisation
No stipulation. (instead, it states in last para. of p.31 of the Guidelines: A Framework for Safe Drinking Water that “the supplier is normally responsible for the quality of the water only up to a defined point in the distribution system and may not have responsibility for deterioration of water quality as a result of poor plumbing or unsatisfactory storage tanks in households and buildings.”)
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation _health/dwq/gdwq3_2.pdf
USA No stipulation (except advice at right column of p.2 about public supply as water source on “testing of water by consumer for lead if he has lead pipes or solder and for iron or hardness if he has problems with the taste, odour or appearance”) A Website “H2O4U” recommends under “When Should I Test?” that for premise on “Public Supply, …, test when you move into a new residence to acquire a "base line" of contaminant level, if any. Retest every three years, unless you have reason to believe that something has changed that could affect the quality of your water.”
http://s142412519.onlinehome.us/u w/pdfs/G3558_1.PDF http://www.softwater.com/faq.html# ts0
UK No stipulation in “The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000” http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2000/20 003184.htm
Australia No stipulation (except in third para, p.3-29 of Framework for Management of Drinking Water Quality states about “consumer responsibilities beyond the meter and how drinking water quality may be affected in household distribution and use”)
http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publicatio ns/_files/awg2.pdf
Taipei No stipulation (just reminding tank cleaning only under Section “Safe and Delicious Water”)
http://www.twd.gov.tw/english/tipe/ tipe_b.htm
Kula Lumpur, No stipulation Item (f), Attachment 1
Malaysia Singapore Section 3.11 of “Handbook on Application for Water Supply” requires “consumer …not
less frequently than once every 12 months…to clean and disinfect the water storage tank and certify that…water samples taken from the tank pass the appropriate chemical and bacteriological examinations;,,,” The 8 test parameters are (a) pH, (b) Colour, (c) Turbidity, (d) Conductivity or Total Dissolved Solids, (e) Residual Chlorine, (f) Iron, (g) Total Colony Count and (h) Total Coliform Bacteria. (For comparison, the 7 parameters required under FWPQMRS are (a)-(c), (d) Conductivity, (f), (h) and (i) E Coli.)
http://www.corenet.gov.sg/einfo/Dis playFullDoc.asp?docname=D00067 &status=Ready then click Section 3.11. Para. 3 of Attachment 2
Shenzhen, China


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47/F Immigration Tower 7 Gloucester Road Wan Chai Hong Kong
Fresh Water Plumbing Quality Maintenance Recognition Scheme
Application Form/Renewal Application Form I/We* apply for acceptance to the Fresh Water Plumbing Quality Maintenance Recognition Scheme (referred to as the “Scheme” below). A. Type of Building(s)
Please indicate the type of building(s) applying to join the Scheme by checking ONE of the boxes listed below:- Hotels Licence No.: Restaurants Licence No.: Buildings (residential) – Total No. of residential flats: Buildings (commercial or combined commercial and residential) -
Total No. of residential flats: Others (please specify)
B. Particulars of the Applicant
Name of owner(If applicable, Incorporated Owners Registration Certificate No.: )/ operator / management agent: Correspondence address: Name of contact person: Post / Title of contact person: Contact tel. no. / fax no. : Contact e-mail address:
C. Name(s) and Address(es) of the Building(s)/Hotels/Restaurants to be included in the Application (please use additional blank sheets if necessary)
Preferred Format on the Scheme Certificate(s)
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Please indicate the preferred format of the scheme certificate(s) by checking ONE of the boxes listed below:- One certificate for each building/hotel/restaurant One certificate for the whole estate/development/phase* and this Application
covers all blocks therein. The preferred naming is: ______________________________________________________________
E. Documents to be Included in the Application The application shall be submitted together with the following documents for each building:
1. Hotel License or Restaurant License(where appropriate). 2. Incorporated Owners Registration Certificate (where appropriate). 1. Completed Checklist on Tank Cleaning, Water Quality Examination and
Plumbing Inspection (Annex 2). 2. Dates of Cleaning Water Tanks and Inspections of Plumbing in the validity
period of last certificate Dates of Cleaning Water Tanks Dates of Inspections of Plumbing
3. At least 3 immediately past Records of Cleaning Water Tanks (for example, copies of signed Completion Certificates or Confined Space – Permit-to-Work Certificates, which show the locations and dates of cleaning and signatures of competent persons, are acceptable).
4. Water Quality Examination Results (Sample(s) taken not earlier than 3 months from the date of application.)
5. At least 3 immediately past Inspection Results of Plumbing related to Water Quality.
F. Declaration of Water Quality Complaints (This scheme would accept cases involving water quality complaints before application if the applicant demonstrates, by the information given below, to have taken appropriate resolution to the complaints within a reasonable time.)
1. Any water quality complaints in the past 12 months? No/Yes*, number of complaints: 2. Nature of complaints:
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3. Average Handling Time: 4. Remedial Actions Taken: 5. All complaints cleared? Yes/No*
Outstanding Complaints Nature No.
G. Terms and Conditions 1. I/We* declare that all the information and supporting documents provided for the purpose of this Application are
true, accurate and complete.
2. I/We* have maintained the plumbing up to a high standard for keeping the good quality of government water
supplies throughout the inside service up to the consumers’ taps.
3. I/We* shall ensure that all my/our staff are fully aware of and observe the assessment criteria of the Scheme at all
times during the validity period of the Certificate.
4. I/We* shall co-operate with the Water Supplies Department (WSD) for checking the compliance of the prescribed
criteria of the Scheme if considered necessary by the WSD.
5. I/We* agree that none of the members of the WSD, the Advisory Committee on Quality of Water Supplies
(ACQWS) or the Appeal Board of the Scheme shall have any responsibility or liability whatsoever in relation to any
dealings between the Scheme Certificate holder and the holder’s customers arising from the Scheme.
6. I/We* shall not behave in a manner which may jeopardize or damage the reputation or interests of the Government
of the HKSAR, the WSD, the ACQWS, the Appeal Board of the Scheme.
7. I/We * abide by that the Certificate remains the property of the WSD and shall return the Certificate when required
by the WSD.
8. I/We* shall not transfer the Certificates to other persons or organizations without the permission of the WSD.
9. I/We* agree to abide by the decisions of the Appeal Board and the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme.
I/We* wish to receive future correspondence relating to the Scheme by e-mail / fax / mail*. Applicant: Authorized Signature Date Name & Title Company Chop Management Contract Valid Till Date:
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Supported by Building Owner(s)/Incorporated Owners/Mutual Aid Committee: I/We* understand that if there is a change in building management company the FWPQMRS certificate will expire on
that day. For the certificate to remain valid, I/We* shall instruct the new company to submit an “Undertaking Form
for Incoming Building Management Company” (downloadable from www.wsd.gov.hk) within 1 month and to continue
to observe all the requirements of and the Terms and Conditions of the FWPQMRS.
Authorized Signature Date Name & Title Chop Correspondence Address:
* please delete whichever not applicable.
Annex C
47/F Immigration Tower 7 Gloucester Road Wan Chai Hong Kong
Fresh Water Plumbing Quality Maintenance Recognition Scheme Undertaking Form for Incoming Building Management Company
I am / We are* the Incoming Building Management Company for Name of Building: FWPQMRS Certificate No.:
FWPQMRS Certificate Valid Till Date:
Building Management Contract Start Date:
I/We* will fit in the last quarterly tank cleaning and plumbing inspection of the outgoing Building Management Company and continue to carry out quarterly tank cleaning and plumbing inspection and subsequent rectification (for detail requirements, please see Checklist on Tank Cleaning, Water Quality Examination and Plumbing Inspection, downloadable at www.wsd.gov.hk) Terms and Conditions 1. I/We* declare that all the information provided for the purpose of this Application are true, accurate and complete.
2. I/We* have maintained the plumbing up to a high standard for keeping the good quality of government water
supplies throughout the inside service up to the consumers’ taps.
3. I/We* shall ensure that all my/our staff are fully aware of and observe the assessment criteria of the Scheme at all
times during the validity period of the Certificate.
4. I/We* shall co-operate with the Water Supplies Department (WSD) for checking the compliance of the prescribed
criteria of the Scheme if considered necessary by the WSD.
5. I/We* agree that none of the members of the WSD, the Advisory Committee on Quality of Water Supplies
(ACQWS) or the Appeal Board of the Scheme shall have any responsibility or liability whatsoever in relation to any
dealings between the Scheme Certificate holder and the holder’s customers arising from the Scheme.
6. I/We* shall not behave in a manner which may jeopardize or damage the reputation or interests of the Government
of the HKSAR, the WSD, the ACQWS, the Appeal Board of the Scheme.
7. I/We * abide by that the Certificate remains the property of the WSD and shall return the Certificate when required
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by the WSD.
8. I/We* shall not transfer the Certificates to other persons or organizations without the permission of the WSD.
9. I/We* agree to abide by the decisions of the Appeal Board and the Terms and Conditions of the Scheme.
I/We* wish to receive future correspondence relating to the Scheme by e-mail / fax / mail*. Incoming Building Management Company: Authorized Signature Date Name & Title Company Chop
Management Contract Valid Till Date: Correspondence address: Contact tel. no. / fax no. : Contact e-mail address: Supported by Building Owner(s)/Incorporated Owners/Mutual Aid Committee: I/We* understand that if there is a change in building management company the FWPQMRS certificate will expire on
that day. For the certificate to remain valid, I/We* shall instruct the new company to submit an “Undertaking Form
for Incoming Building Management Company” (downloadable from www.wsd.gov.hk) within 1 month and to continue
to observe all the requirements of and the Terms and Conditions of the FWPQMRS.
Authorized Signature Date Name & Title Chop Correspondence Address:
* please delete whichever not applicable.