DAB calls for urgent reform of Hong Kong's water seepage oversight

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong has demanded a comprehensive reform of the city’s water seepage oversight, advocating for a lower investigation threshold and more proactive follow-ups.

This call follows numerous complaints regarding the sluggish response of the Joint Office for Investigation of Water Seepage Complaints, established by the Buildings Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in 2006.

At a press conference on Wednesday, party lawmaker Ben Chan Han-pan said that the office currently does not address seepage cases with moisture content below 35 percent. 

He added that even cases below this threshold significantly affect residents' quality of life, urging authorities to reconsider the limit.

Chan also called for increased follow-ups on borderline cases, criticizing the office for hastily closing investigations amid the ongoing challenges posed by aging buildings in the Special Administrative Region. 

“It’s heartbreaking for citizens who have to suffer from daily water seepage in their homes,” he said.

Chan said that the Joint Office primarily addresses issues through criminal liability, which has a high burden of proof and is less efficient than civil resolutions, making it costly for affected residents.

To better serve the community, the party proposes that the Joint Office incorporate mediation and arbitration functions to bridge departmental shortcomings and legal gaps. 

This would allow impacted citizens to pay for their own inspection reports, submit them to the Joint Office, and utilize mediation and arbitration to determine responsibility before escalating matters to court, as suggested by the DAB.

(Adelyn Lau)