local · SingTao

Water Seepage Office Handles 19,000 Reports Under New Scheme

SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago4 MIN

Summary

The Joint Office formed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Buildings Department has handled nearly 20,000 water seepage reports since launching new investigation procedures in mid-July 2026. The authorities report that the new system, which issues repair notices to suspected source units and follows up on non-compliant owners, is achieving its goal of accelerating the resolution of seepage issues in private buildings. Data shows that over half of verified cases have seen their problems resolved.

Key Points

The Joint Office received 19,048 water seepage reports between July 16 and October 22, 2026, with all cases assigned case managers
Of these reports, 12,746 cases (67%) completed first-phase investigation, and 4,322 cases (23%) received repair notices
As of October 3, the Joint Office completed verification of 828 out of 1,827 expired cases; 424 cases (51%) saw problems resolved
For cases where owners have not fulfilled repair obligations, the authorities will issue nuisance notices and recover inspection fees
Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology Wong Suk-han (黃淑嫻) said the new procedures effectively prompt owners to repair earlier

Why It Matters

The effectiveness of these new procedures will shape how Hong Kong addresses chronic water seepage problems in aging private buildings, a long-standing neighbourhood nuisance affecting thousands of residents. The authorities expect complete data on enforcement actions, including nuisance notices and fee recovery, by mid-December 2026 when the first full investigation cycles conclude .