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     Following is a question by the Hon Kenneth Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, in the Legislative Council today (June 13):
 
Question:
 
     It has been reported that as remote villages such as Tsing Shan Tsuen in Tuen Mun, Chau Tau in Tung Ping Chau and Mui Tsz Lam in Sha Tin currently have no supply of tap water, residents of those villages can get fresh water only from the storage cisterns in these villages and the hillside streams nearby. However, those water sources dried up last month due to the very hot weather, causing the residents to suffer from a lack of water supply and making it necessary for the Water Supplies Department to transport fresh water to solve the problem temporarily. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the name of the villages yet to be supplied with tap water and the population of each of the villages, and set out the information by District Council district; 

(2) of the number of times in the past three years for which the authorities transported fresh water to remote villages temporarily and the expenditures involved, broken down by name of village; 

(3) of the number of times to date this year for which the authorities transported fresh water to remote villages temporarily and the quantity of water supplied, broken down by name of village; 

(4) whether it will make good use of the fiscal surplus by constructing tap water supply systems for remote villages or improve the water storage facilities therein, so as to reduce the occurrence of a lack of fresh water supply to the residents; and 

(5) whether it will review the criteria used for determining if tap water supply systems should be constructed for remote villages?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     At present, the treated water supply networks cover about 99.9 per cent of the population of Hong Kong. Areas that do not have treated water supply are mainly remote villages with sparse population. Although these villages do not have treated water supply, they have access to systems that supply stream or well water for domestic consumption. These supply systems have been in use for many years. Most of them are under the maintenance of the Home Affairs Department (HAD). The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department also regularly monitors and tests the quality of the stream or well water in these villages to ascertain their suitability for potable consumption. In the event of these water sources becoming depleted or insufficient, the Government will provide assistance. For example, the HAD will transport potable water to villages with water shortage to meet the needs of villagers. The WSD will also provide necessary assistance, such as providing water tanks and potable water.
 
     The reply to the Hon Kenneth Lau’s question is as follows:
 
(1) The villages currently do not have treated water supply and their respective estimated population are listed in the Annex.
 
(2) Between 2015 and 2017, the Government transported potable water, on an ad hoc basis, to remote villages for a total of 46 times at a cost of around $475,000. A breakdown of the details by villages is at below.
 

District Council	Village Name	Number of times of transporting potable water	Costs (HK$)
Tai Po	Tung Ping Chau	2	2,280
Islands	Po Toi Island	44	472,400

(3) From January 1 to June 8 this year, the Government transported potable water, on an ad hoc basis, to remote villages for a total of 21 times and at a volume of 88.5 cubic metres. A breakdown of the details by villages is at below.
 

District Council	Village Name	Number of times of transporting potable water	Volume of water (m3)
Tai Po	Tung Ping Chau	4	14.5
Islands	Po Toi Island	15	67.5
Tuen Mun	Tin Fu Tsai	2	6.5

Note: Tsing Shan Tsuen in Tuen Mun is not in the list of remote villages in Annex. However, due to the insufficient water pressure to some locations of higher terrain in the village, the WSD transported potable water for some of the residents for one time in May, the amount of water transported is 1.5 cubic meters.
 
(4) & (5) The remote villages that do not have treated water supply have sparse populations and are far away from both urban areas and existing treated water supply network. If treated water supply systems are to be constructed for these remote villages, low water consumption may lead to stagnant water in water mains and hence resulting in the deterioration of water quality. Moreover, the per capita capital cost for the construction of treated water supply systems for these villages would be high. The Government has been monitoring the water supply situations of these remote villages. The WSD has been continuously exploring possible options to solve the above issues and will regularly review the situations. In fact, the WSD has been completing treated water supply systems for remote villages in recent years, such as Tung Ah, Tung Ah Pui, Ngan Hang and Nan Lai Wan in South District, Sham Ah Shui on Lantau Island and Yuen Tun Ha in Tai Po. The WSD will continue to closely monitor and regularly review the situations of the remote villages that do not have treated water supply, for example the latest population and nearby developments, and will also study various solutions to tackle the problem of deterioration of water quality due to low water consumption, including exploring exploitation of water sources to supplement existing raw water sources.
 
     In addition, the HAD will continue to improve the existing water storage facilities for these remote villages, such as relaying water pipes and installing additional water storage facilities to meet the needs of the villagers. read more

     With effect from August 1, the charge for each import and export declaration (TDEC) will be capped at $200 to further lower the cost of importing and exporting high-value goods to and from Hong Kong. The new measure will apply to goods imported, exported or re-exported on or after August 1.
 
     The Legislative Council passed the Import and Export (Registration) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (Amendment Regulation) today (June 20) to impose the cap of $200 on each TDEC.
 
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, thanked the Legislative Council for the passage of the Amendment Regulation. He said, “The capping of TDEC charges will directly benefit the local trading and logistics industry through lowering the operating cost of import and export, encouraging the industry to move up the value chain and supporting the further development of businesses in trading, storage, logistics and distribution of high-value goods in Hong Kong, thereby strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a trading hub.
 
     “The cap on TDEC charges is expected to save the trade about $458 million a year and benefit about 900 000 TDEC cases each involving goods at a value above $1.644 million.”
 
     The arrangements for the lodgement of TDECs and payment of charges will remain unchanged. For enquiries, please contact the Customs and Excise Department (hotline: 2707 7748, email: customsenquiry@customs.gov.hk), the Census and Statistics Department (hotline: 2877 1818, email: trade-declaration@censtatd.gov.hk) or the three Government-appointed service providers of Government Electronic Trading Services (namely Brio Electronic Commerce Limited, Global e-Trading Services Limited and Tradelink Electronic Commerce Limited, with contact information available at www.cedb.gov.hk/citb/en/Policy_Responsibilities/gets_sp.html). read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Cheng Chung-tai and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, in the Legislative Council today (June 13):
 
Question:
 
     As of March last year, a total of about 400 residents in 19 villages are not yet supplied with tap water. Recently, several residents of Tsing Shan Tsuen in Tuen Mun have revealed that they have been using water from water tanks and streams nearby. These water sources dried up last month due to the hot weather. Therefore, the Water Supplies Department (WSD) needed to transport potable water to the residents in that village. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the number of requests for assistance or complaints received regarding the supply of tap water from the residents of the above 19 villages in the past two years, broken down by village name;
 
(2) whether the authorities conducted any technical feasibility study and economic assessment on laying water mains to the above villages in the past two years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(3) this Council and the relevant District Council members have made repeated requests to the authorities for constructing tap water supply systems for the above villages, but the authorities have been declining these requests due to low cost-effectiveness for the relevant works and very high per capita capital costs. Have the authorities reviewed if cost-effectiveness for these works should outweigh the basic living needs of the residents?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     At present, the treated water supply networks cover about 99.9 per cent of the population of Hong Kong. Areas that do not have treated water supply are mainly remote villages with sparse population. Although these villages do not have treated water supply, they have access to systems that supply stream or well water for domestic consumption. These supply systems have been in use for many years. Most of them are under the maintenance of the Home Affairs Department (HAD). The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department also regularly monitors and tests the quality of the stream or well water in these villages to ascertain their suitability for potable consumption. In the event of these water sources becoming depleted or insufficient, the Government will provide assistance. For example, the HAD will transport potable water to villages with water shortage to meet the needs of villagers. The Water Supplies Department (WSD) will also provide necessary assistance such as providing water tanks and potable water.
 
     For the case of Tsing Shan Tsuen in Tuen Mun, there are about 750 residents in Tsing Shan Tsuen according to estimate of the Tuen Mun District Office. The treated water supply network of the WSD currently covers about 700 residents. The remaining 50 residents are living in locations at a higher terrain of the village where the water pressure of the water supply system is insufficient for delivering treated water supply there. However, the WSD is studying the feasibility of extending the existing water supply network in Tsing Shan Tsuen and enhancing the water pressure to cover the entire village.
 
     The reply to the Hon Cheng Chung-tai’s question is as follows:
 
(1) In the past two years, the WSD received requests for provision of treated water supply from 10 remote villages, including Tai Long (South Lantau), Nim Shue Wan, Cheung Sha Lan, Tso Wan (Northeast Lantau), Po Toi Island, Yi O (West Lantau), Mui Tsz Lam, Tung Ping Chau, Wong Chuk Yeung and Sham Chung. In addition, for some villages that are covered by the water supply network of the WSD, those residents who are living in the locations at a higher terrain where the pressure of the water supply system is insufficient for delivering treated water supply there have also requested the WSD to provide treated water supply, such as Tsing Shan Tsuen in Tuen Mun.
 
(2) & (3) The Government has been monitoring the water supply situations of the above remote villages. These remote villages have sparse populations and are far away from both urban areas and existing treated water supply network. If treated water supply systems are to be constructed for these remote villages, low water consumption may lead to stagnant water in water mains and hence resulting in the deterioration of water quality. Moreover, the per capita capital cost for the construction of treated water supply systems for these villages would be high. The WSD has been continuously exploring possible options to solve the above issues and will regularly review the situations. In fact, the WSD has been completing treated water supply systems for remote villages in recent years, such as the water supply systems in Tung Ah, Tung Ah Pui, Ngan Hang and Nan Lai Wan in South District, Sham Ah Shui on Lantau Island and Yuen Tun Ha in Tai Po. The WSD will continue to closely monitor and regularly review the situations of the remote villages without treated water supply, such as the latest population and nearby developments, and will also study various options to address the problem of deterioration of water quality due to low water consumption, including exploring exploitation of water sources to supplement existing raw water sources. For those villages with treated water supply but it is unable  to reach the residents who are living in the locations at a higher terrain due to insufficient water pressure, the WSD will study the feasibility of extending the existing water supply networks in these villages and enhancing water pressure to cover the entire villages. read more

     The overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) caseload in May showed a drop of 124 cases, representing a decrease of 0.1 per cent compared with that of April, according to the latest CSSA caseload statistics … read more

     As the Hong Kong Observatory has issued the Very Hot Weather Warning, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and employees to take appropriate precautions to prevent heat stroke when working in a hot or humid environment.
 
     Heat stroke could occur if an employee works in a hot or humid environment for prolonged periods of time, as the body may fail to regulate its temperature by effective heat dissipation through sweating.
 
     The early symptoms of heat stroke include feeling thirsty, fatigue, nausea and headache. Later, the victim may experience shortness of breath, rapid and weak pulse, dizziness, confusion or even loss of consciousness and convulsion.
 
     For example, construction workers, cleaning workers, kitchen workers and porters are more prone to heat stroke when working for long hours in such an environment, especially if appropriate preventive measures have not been taken.
 
     The LD reminds employers to arrange for a suitable assessment of the risk of heat stress in the work environment and take appropriate preventive measures. The LD has produced two leaflets entitled “Checklist for Heat Stress Assessment at Construction Sites” and “Checklist for Heat Stress Assessment at Outdoor Cleansing Workplaces” respectively. Employers engaged in construction or outdoor cleaning work are advised to refer to these checklists in assessing the risk of heat stress at their workplaces. As for heat stress assessment at a workplace in general, employers can refer to a booklet entitled “Risk Assessment for the Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work” produced by the LD.
 
     The LD also reminds employers and employees to take the following precautions to prevent heat stroke:
 
Employers
———
(1) Take heed of the weather report and adopt shift work arrangements for employees to reduce their exposure to the hot environment, or arrange appropriate rest breaks for them during very hot periods;
(2) Avoid working under direct sunlight and set up temporary sunshade wherever possible;
(3) Provide cool potable water for employees at all times during work. If necessary, provide drinks containing minerals for employees to replenish loss of electrolytes during profuse sweating;
(4) Minimise physical demands by using tools or mechanical aids at work;
(5) Increase air flow by enhancing ventilation or air-conditioning as appropriate;
(6) Isolate heat-generating facilities at the workplace and use insulating materials to minimise heat dissipation to the other work areas; and
(7) Provide relevant information and training for employees on heat stroke such as preventive measures and first aid treatment.
 
Employees
———
(1) Wear clothing made of suitable materials (for example, cotton) that is loose-fitting and light-coloured to help heat dissipation, minimise heat absorption and allow sweat evaporation;
(2) Wear a wide-brimmed hat when working outdoors;
(3) Drink plenty of water or other appropriate beverages to replenish the fluids and electrolytes lost through sweating; and
(4) Whenever there are any symptoms of heat stroke, inform supervisors and take appropriate actions immediately.
 
     Some employees may have difficulty in adapting to a hot working environment owing to their own health conditions. Employers should take this into account and consider the recommendations of their doctors when assigning work to these employees.
 
     In addition to the publications on risk assessment, the LD has produced a leaflet entitled “Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work in a Hot Environment” for the public. The publications can be obtained free of charge from the offices of the Occupational Health Service of the LD, or downloaded from the department’s webpage at www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_9.htm.
 
     The LD organises occupational health talks in public places and at its own training venues regularly to raise employers’ and employees’ awareness of occupational health. Details of health talks on the prevention of heat stroke at work in a hot environment in June to September are as follows:
 
(A)
Dates: June  26; July 9 and 24; August 2, 13 and 30; and September 13 and 24 (am)
June 22; July 5, 20 and 30; August 8 and 22; and September 5, 20 and 27 (pm)
Time: Half-day
Venue: Occupational Safety and Health Training Centre of the Labour Department, 13/F, Kolour·Tsuen Wan I, 68 Chung On Street, Tsuen Wan, New Territories
 
(B)
Dates: July 13 and 27 and August 10 and 20
Time: Half-day, morning
Venue: Occupational Safety and Health Centre of the Labour Department, G/F,
Kwun Tong Community Health Centre Building, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong
(MTR Kwun Tong Station Exit A1)
 
(C)
Date: August 13
Time: 3pm to 4.30pm
Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Road,
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit E)
 
(D)
Date: July 16 and September 14
Time: 3pm to 4.30pm
Venue: Activity Room I, Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road,
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
(Opposite Victoria Park, MTR Tin Hau Station Exit B)
 
     For enrolment or enquiries about these occupational health talks, please call 2852 4040 or 2361 8240 (for talks organised at the Occupational Safety and Health Centre). Moreover, the LD also provides an outreach health education service and occupational health nurses will, on invitation, disseminate occupational health information at workplaces at a convenient time. Please contact the nursing officer at 2852 4062 for details. All these health talks are free of charge. read more