TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1982
MASSIVE FUNDS FOR POLLUTION CONTROL
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THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO SPEND $3.6 BILLION IN THE NEXT 15 YEARS ON SEWAGE TREATMENT TO CONTROL WATER POLLUTION IN HONG KONG, A SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICER, DR CATHERINE LAM, SAID.
ADDRESSING A SEMINAR JUST HELD IN NEW ZEALAND BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH, DR LAM SAID IT WAS PROPOSED THAT HONG KONG BE DIVIDED INTO TEN WATER CONTROL ZONES,
+EVENTUALLY THE EXISTING WATER POLLUTION PROBLEMS SHOULD IMPROVE AND THE PRESENT GOOD WATER QUALITY WILL BE SAFEGUARDED AGAINST FUTURE POLLUTION, SHE PREDICTED.
IN HER TALK, ENTITLED +WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING OF TOLO HARBOUR+, DR LAM TRACED THE POLLUTION PROBLEM OF THE PLACE.
FORMERLY A RURAL AREA, THIS CATCHMENT WITH A POPULATION OF 60 000 IN THE MID-1970S NOW HAS 250 000 RESIDENTS, WITH THE FINAL FIGURE PROJECTED AT OVER ONE MILLION.
SUCH RAPID DEVELOPMENT, SHE SAID, HAD BROUGHT CONCERN OVER THE DETERIORATING WATER CONDITION IN THIS ALMOST LANDLOCKED ESTUARY WITH ACCOMMODATION FOR SUBSTANTIAL RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION.
SHE SAID THAT DOMESTIC AND AGRICULTURAL WASTE DISCHARGES, RESULTING IN FREQUENT RED TIDES AND +BOTTOM OXYGEN DEPLETION+, WERE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN AT PRESENT.
+HOWEVER,+ SHE ADDED, THE SITUATION SHOULD IMPROVE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE 1980, WASTE DISPOSAL ORDINANCE 1980, THE PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURAL WASTE COLLECTION SCHEME AND FURTHER COMMISSIONING OF MAJOR SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS.+
SHE DISCLOSED THAT THREE MAJOR SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS HAD BEEN PLANNED FOR THE CATCHMENT.
+TWO OF THESE ARE PARTIALLY COMMISSIONED AT PRESENT. AGRICULTURAL WASTE DISCHARGES WILL BE EVENTUALLY CONTROLLED UNDER THE WASTE DISPOSAL ORDINANCE, SHE ADDED.
OTHER URBAN PLANS PROVIDING FOR MARKET, HAWKER AND REFUSE COLLECTION AREAS WOULD HELP TO REDUCE URBAN RUNOFF POLLUTANTS, DR LAM SAID.
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