LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
works for the sea water supply system for Central Kowloon and Tsuen Wan continued.
Planning work continued for increasing the capacity to meet the demand from new developments in Central, Western and south-western areas on Hong Kong Island, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Kwai Tsing, Tsing Yi, Yuen Long, North Lantau, Tseung Kwan O and the north-eastern and north-western New Territories. Major design work concentrated on the provision of additional service reservoirs, pumping stations and water supply networks in Kowloon East, West Kowloon Reclamation, Pok Fu Lam, the Cyberport project, Western, Central and Wan Chai areas on Hong Kong Island, Yau Tong, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Tai Po, Tin Shui Wai, Tseung Kwan O, and North Lantau which included the Hong Kong Disneyland project.
To promote transparency and encourage public participation and understanding of the water quality issues, a 15-member Advisory Committee on the Quality of Water Supplies was set up in April to review and advise the Government on all matters relating to the quality of water supplies. In addition, data on potable water and raw water quality were publicised through the department's annual report and home page.
Water Accounts and Customer Relations
The number of consumer accounts kept rising at a rate of about 3 per cent per annum and the consumer account base expanded to approximately 2.4 million accounts by the end of 2000. The department continued to act as an agent to collect general sewage charges on behalf of the Drainage Services Department.
Efforts to promote the autopay service continued, and the number of consumer accounts using autopay for payment of water charges reached 349 000, or about 15 per cent of all consumers. The Payment-by-Phone service was also well received and about 22 per cent of the total payments received used this service by the end of 2000. The department announced in July its achievements against performance pledges for the past year, which showed improvement over those of the previous year in some areas. Most achievement rates were close to, or reached, 100 per cent. New enhanced performance pledges were also publicised.
Electricity
The Hongkong Electric Company Limited (HEC) supplies Hong Kong Island and the neighbouring islands of Ap Lei Chau and Lamma; CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP Power) supplies Kowloon and the New Territories, including Lantau and several outlying islands. The supply to consumers is at 50Hz alternating current while the voltage is 220 volts single-phase and 380 volts three-phase.
The two supply companies are investor-owned. The Government monitors their performance through mutually agreed Scheme of Control Agreements. Current agreements with CLP Power and HEC came into effect on October 1, 1993 and January 1, 1994, respectively. Both will last for 15 years and the first interim review was completed in early 1999 and the next review will be carried out in 2003. The agreements require each company to seek the approval of the Government for certain aspects of their financial plans, including projected tariff levels. The agreements do not grant the companies any exclusive rights.
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