Briefs | Households suffer stench from ‘DIY waste pipe’

Some city households have been suffering from their neighbors’ home-made construction. According to a report by Macao Daily News, a senior couple living in a residential building located in Costa area, created a pipe to divert human waste from their bathroom. About 10 years ago, the couple renovated their house. In order to expand their kitchen, they built a bathroom on their balcony. The sewage channel of the bathroom was then connected to a water pipe on the balcony. As a result, the entirety of the new sewage channel was located outside the building, and hung off the third floor of the building, reaching down to the ground floor. For the past 10 years, sewage passing through the pipe has leaked from the channel, releasing odors into the surrounds. The Land, Public Affairs and Transport Bureau is already aware of the situation and has informed the complaining households that the department will follow up.

Taipa leisure area said to be affected by bad smell

A recreational area in Taipa is affected by a bad smell, according to the Macau United Citizens Association. The concerned area is the Taipa Coastal Area, where there is a running trail, a bicycle trail, a children’s playground and exercise equipment. Recently, the association received complaints from some of the runners of a bad smell along the running trail between the Governador Nobre de Carvalho Bridge and Av. dos Jogos da Asia Oriental. The association believes that the foul smell is related to the sea reclamation project. The association hopes that the relevant government department will follow up to ensure the water quality, protect the environment and surrounding ecosystem, and reduce pollution.

Covid-19 test and facemask prices officially published

The local government has made an official dispatch to record the price of facemasks supplied under the government distribution program, as well as Covid-19 tests needed for most people to cross the border to the mainland. According to the dispatch signed by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, the government charges 180 patacas per Covid-19 test to anyone, regardless of their status as a resident or non-resident. For the government-supplied facemasks, local residents and non-local workers pay 8 patacas for 10 pieces. The announcement is merely an official record of the price inside the government official gazette. The first Covid-19 test is free of charge to Macau residents and Macau non-local workers. Specific groups are either exempted from paying for the test or given a discount.