Reform of water seepage rules pushed amid sluggish action

Adelyn Lau

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.

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

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

He said cases below this threshold definitively affect residents' quality of life as he urged authorities to reconsider the limit.

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

"It's heartbreaking for people who have to suffer from daily water seepage in their homes," he said.

Chan said the joint office primarily addresses issues through criminal liability, which has a higher 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 people 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.

adelyn.lau@singtaonewscorp.com