LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
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As an associated measure, 14 flood water pumping systems have been constructed and are in operation to mitigate the impact of flooding in low-lying villages in the New Territories. Twelve more are under planning and design.
The government is also working closely with the Shenzhen Municipality to resolve the flooding problem associated with the Shenzhen River, which divides Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The solution proposed involves the straightening, widening and deepening of some 17 kilometres of the river, to enhance its flow to reduce the risk of flooding in its catchment areas. Preparatory work has largely been completed and construction of the first stage of the project is planned to commence in 1995.
The Land Drainage Ordinance, enacted in March, is an essential component of the strategy to alleviate flooding in the New Territories. It authorises government staff to gain access to, inspect, clear and maintain main watercourses running through or bordering private land, in a further attempt to reduce the risk of flooding. It also empowers the government to control the erection of structures within main watercourses, to ensure their water-carrying capacity is not undermined.
Operation and Maintenance of the Drainage System
With the commissioning of each additional item of capital infrastructure, there is a consequential increased commitment in operations and maintenance. The volume of sewage treated by the department has increased from 385 million cubic metres in 1989 to = = 638 million cubic metres in 1994, of which 146 million cubic metres receive full biological treatment. To facilitate the conveyance and treatment of the sewage, 65 sewage pumping stations and 50 sewage treatment plants are now in operation throughout the territory.
Since the establishment of the department, the approach to the operation and maintenance of the public drainage system has progressively shifted from crisis management to preventive maintenance. The efficient maintenance of the drainage infrastructure is essential to ensure the proper and effective disposal of foul and storm water, and to prevent blockages and leaks which also cause bad odours, flooding or other nuisances to the public. The department now maintains almost 3 000 kilometres of watercourses, drains and sewers. Some 45 000 clearance exercises are carried out annually to remove over 150 000 cubic metres of silt from drains and watercourses, to keep them free-flowing and their pollution levels low.
The department operates an overnight hotline service, from 10 pm to 8 am, to receive complaints on blocked drains and sewers.
The department also operates an Emergency Storm Damage Organisation. The organisation is run by staff working on a rotational basis and is supported by the department's own labour force and contractors. Its operation ensures that emergency situations are dealt with efficiently. The recurrent expenditure on operations and maintenance in 1993-94 was $575 million. This sum is increasing steadily.
Geotechnical Engineering
The Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) of the Civil Engineering Department was established after the landslip disasters of the 1970s, and the control of geotechnical aspects of construction works, in the interest of public safety, continues to be one of its foremost duties. Checks were made on 7 866 design proposals during the year.