FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1982
TOLO HARBOUR IS A LARGE AND ALMOST LAND-LOCKED BODY OF WATER WITH A NARROW OUTLET TO THE SEA AND CONSEQUENT LOW TIDAL CLEANSING ACTION. THIS HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHING MUN AND PLOVER COVE RESERVIORS, AS THE MAJORITY OF RAIN WATER WHICH USED TO FLOW ALONG STREAM COURSES INTO TOLO HARBOUR IS NOW DIVERTED TO THE TWO STORAGE RESERVIORS. IN ADDITION, THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLOVER COVE RESERVIOR HAS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY THE AREA OF TOLO HARBOUR, WITH A CONSEQUENT REDUCTION IN THE TIDAL EXCHANGE VOLUME.
THE LAND AROUND TOLO HARBOUR IS ALSO THE SCENE OF SOME OF HONG KONG'S MOST RAPID URBANISATION, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF MAJOR RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ESTATES ALONG ITS SHORES.
IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE MAXIMUM ECONOMIC BENEFIT FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS LARGE AND IMPORTANT AREA. IT 18 ESSENTIAL THAT ITS ATTRACTIVENESS AS A PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK IS MAINTAINED,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
WITH A VIEW TO LESSENING THE EFFECT OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS ON THE WATER QUALITY OF TOLO HARBOUR, THE PLANNED NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENTS WOULD ALL HAVE THEIR OWN INTEGRATED SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS, HE EXPLAINED.
IN ADDITION, STEPS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN TO ESTABLISH SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS FOR THE NEW INDUSTRIAL ESTATES IN THE AREA. THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE PROBLEM OF THE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF AGRICULTURAL WASTE WAS ALSO RECEIVING URGENT ATTENTION SINCE THIS WAS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE POLLUTION OF THE STREAMS AND RIVERS IN THE AREA,
*THE DECLARATION OF TOLO HARBOUR AS A WATER CONTROL ZONE WILL FORM AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THESE MEASURES TO COMBAT WATER POLLUTION IN THIS PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE NEXT STEP TO BE TAKEN WILL BE TO DEFINE WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES, WHICH WILL BE ESTABLISHED UNDER THE ORDINANCE BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS. THESE OBJECTIVES DESCRIBE IN DETAIL THE ACCEPTABLE QUALITY OF THE WATER IN THE ZONE IN TERMS OF THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WATER OR LEVELS OF CERTAIN SUBSTANCES WHICH HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED TO PROTECT THE WATERS,
CONTROLS IN THE FORM OF LICENSING ARE THEN IMPOSED TO ENSURE THAT DISCHARGES OF POLLUTANTS ARE LIMITED. FROM THE FIRST APPOINTED DAY, ANYONE ALREADY DISCHARGING POLLUTANTS DURING THE PRECEDING. 12 MONTHS MAY BE EXEMPTED FROM LICENSING CONTROLS, BUT NEW DISCHARGES OR DEPOSITS WILL HAVE TO BE LICENSED. FROM A SECOND DAY TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, EACH NON-EXEMPT OR UNLICENSED DISCHARGE OF THE TYPES SPECIFIED WILL CONSTITUTE AN OFFENCE.
THE IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF THESE MEASURES, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED, WAS THAT THEY WOULD STABILISE THE SITUATION ́AND PREVENT FURTHER DETERIORATION OF THE WATER QUALITY.
/+AS THE