LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
To alleviate drainage problems in the old areas of West Kowloon, a comprehensive plan to upgrade the stormwater drainage system in these areas at a cost of over $2.5 billion was drawn up. Detailed design for the first package of works was nearing completion for construction to commence in early 1998 while the construction of Stage II works and the detailed design of Stage III works are scheduled to start in 1999.
The department was also commissioning seven Drainage Master Plan Studies to cover all flood-prone areas in Hong Kong. The studies would review the condition and performance of the existing stormwater drainage system in a comprehensive manner. Both long-term and short-term measures to upgrade the system to cope with current and future development pressures would be devised. The first study began in January 1996 and the rest have been carried out in phases. All studies will be completed by end-1999.
Maintenance of main watercourses passing through private land was a major problem in the past. The department is now empowered under the Land Drainage Ordinance to gain access through private land to carry out drainage works and remove obstructions in main watercourses. In this way, efficient maintenance and enhancement of the capacities of the watercourses can be provided to reduce the frequency and severity of flooding.
Operation and Maintenance of the Drainage System
The volume of sewage treated by the department has increased from 385 million cubic metres in 1989 to 750 million cubic metres in 1997, of which 150 million cubic metres received full biological treatment. This was handled by 137 sewage pumping stations and 77 sewage treatment plants throughout Hong Kong.
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 waste and storm water, and to prevent blockages and leaks which cause bad odours, flooding and other nuisances to the public.
The department maintained more than 3 000 kilometres of watercourses, drains and sewers in 1997. Some 45 000 clearance exercises were carried out to remove more than 25 000 cubic metres of silt from drains and watercourses, to keep them free-flowing and their pollution level low. A 24-hour hotline service operated to receive complaints on blocked drains and sewers.
The department also operated an Emergency and Storm Damage Organisation. It was run by staff on a rotational basis, supported by the department's own labour force and contractors. Its operation ensured that emergency situations were dealt with efficiently. Recurrent expenditure on operations and maintenance in 1997 was $1.15 billion. This sum is increasing steadily as more and more sewerage infrastructure is completed and taken over for maintenance.
Geotechnical Engineering
The Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) was established after landslip disasters in the 1970s. The control of geotechnical aspects of construction works and upgrading of sub-standard slopes to reduce landslip risk, continue to be its main
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