Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ9: Public toilet services
Following is a question by the Hon Kam Nai-wai and a written reply
by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative
Council today (April 13):
Question:
It has been learnt that the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
(FEHD) manages over 560 public toilets and more than 280 aqua privies at
present. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the existing number of public toilets at which attendants are
stationed to provide cleansing services, together with a breakdown by
region (Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories); why attendants
are not stationed at some public toilets;
(b) of the number of complaints about poor hygiene conditions in public
toilets received by the authorities in each of the past three years;
whether they have any plan to increase the frequency of cleansing work for
public toilets each day; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for
that;
(c) of the performance pledge made by FEHD in respect of its cleansing
work for public toilets; of the respective numbers of service contractors
to which FEHD had issued warnings and on which FEHD had imposed fines in
each of the past three years because the standard of their services had
fallen short of the pledge, as well as the total number of warnings and
total amount of fines involved; and
(d) whether FEHD has conducted any survey on the views of users on the
hygiene conditions of public toilets since the dissolution of the two
municipal councils in 2000; if it has, of the outcome of the latest
survey; if not, whether it will conduct such surveys on a regular basis?
Reply:
President,
One of the major responsibilities of the Food and Environmental
Hygiene Department (FEHD) is to provide quality environmental hygiene
services and facilities. In response to the rising expectations of the
community over public toilets, FEHD is committed to enhancing the hygiene,
convenience, safety and comfort of these facilities. Generally speaking,
public toilets are provided with hand dryers, soap dispensers, electronic
sensor-activated taps and baby changing counters, etc. FEHD manages over
840 public toilets and aqua privies. To continue to improve the quality of
public toilet services, FEHD, apart from implementing a phased programme
to convert aqua privies into flushing toilets, also launches an annual
refurbishment programme for public toilets. The conversion of all aqua
privies is expected to be completed in late 2013 at a capital cost of
about $990 million. The refurbishment costs for public toilets over the
past three years were around $110 million. My reply to the questions is
set out below.
(a) At present, public toilets with high usage or those located at major
tourist spots are provided with toilet attendants. There is a total of 268
public toilets with toilet attendants in the territory. Details are as
follows:
Number of public toilets with
toilet attendants
Hong Kong and 97
outlying islands
Kowloon 60
New Territories 111
Total
268
Toilet attendants are mainly responsible for keeping the toilets
clean and dry and in a hygienic condition at all times, and ensuring
adequate provision of supplies including toilet paper and liquid soap,
etc.
(b) In the last three years, the number of complaints about uncleanliness
of public toilets received by FEHD is as follows:
2008 2009 2010
Number of complaints 796 964 922
The cleansing frequency of public toilets is determined by public
demand and usage of the toilets, varying from two to three times per day.
Where necessary, toilet attendants are provided to ensure the cleanliness
and hygiene condition of the toilets. To facilitate the public to give
their views, notices providing hotline numbers are posted inside the
toilets. Co-operation of the public is also of vital importance. Hence,
notices appealing for the public's assistance to keep the public toilets
clean and hygienic are also posted inside the toilets.
(c) FEHD's performance pledges on public toilet services include the
following:
(i) to effect minor repairs within 24 hours of reporting;
(ii) to thoroughly cleanse public toilets at least twice daily; and
(iii) to upkeep the cleanliness of public toilets by providing toilet
attendants for public toilets with high usage.
FEHD staff inspect public toilets regularly to ensure that the
contractors provide services in accordance with the requirements of the
contracts. In the last three years, the number of warnings issued to
contractors by FEHD for unsatisfactory services and the amount of payment
deducted are provided at Annex.
(d) FEHD conducted three surveys between 2004 and 2008 to collect public
views on public toilets and data on the utilisation of public toilets.
According to the survey in 2008, 71% of the respondents were satisfied
with the public toilet services provided by FEHD while only 3% were not
satisfied. FEHD will carry out extension and refurbishment works for
public toilets with higher usage rates, and keep the public toilet
services under review.
Ends/Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:55
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