the the largest cause of water pollution in Hong Kong is sewage. Sewage treatment and disposal facilities have been insufficiently provided for over the past few decades of rapid economic growth. The sewerage systems, particularly in the older urban areas, have also been poorly maintained. In many cases, legislation and lease conditions requiring the proper treatment disposal of sewage have been inadequately enforced.
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sewerage
master
and
Various
The EPD has commissioned a number of consultancies to develop a territory-wide sewage disposal strategy and
plans for specific areas. improvements, such as the export of sewage effluent from Sha Tin and Tai Po to the Kai Tak Nullah and repairs to existing sewerage systems have been identified, but works necessary to rectify decades of neglect will be expensive and time-consuming to implement. It is likely that a new dedicated
department government
will be needed implement this programme and to construct and operate the new facilities. Subject to the availability of resources, we plan to spend at least $12 billion over the next decade to control this problem effectively.
to
Air Pollution
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sources.
The Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO) provides for the abatement and control of air pollution, with particular regard to
to stationary
This is done through declaring air pollution control zones and establishing air quality objectives,
objectives, similar to methods employed under the WPCO.
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Two control zones have So far been declared, covering the Harbour and Tsuen Wan/Kwai Chung areas, which contain most of the territory's population and industry. A network of air quality monitoring stations has been established throughout the territory to identify all sources of air pollution. Air quality management plans, developed through analysis of data from these stations, state how we intend to achieve and air quality objectives. The first
will be ready shortly.
zone,
maintain the declared plan, for the Harbour
for The plan
the Tsuen ready in early 1989.
A
Wan/Kwai Chung zone will be further 8 zones, covering the rest of the territory, will be declared over the next five years.
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We
are
now drafting regulations
control
areas.
the
The
sulphur content of fuel used in certain regulations will permit the use of only gaseous (non-sulphur bearing) fuels in Sha Tin and only gaseous