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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1986
HE EXPLAINED THAT PUBLIC COMPLAINTS WERE USUALLY AIMED AT THE POLLUTION THAT COULD BE SEEN, SMELT OR HEARD. HOWEVER, THE POLLUTION THAT WAS MOST INJURIOUS TO HEALTH USUALLY WENT LARGELY UNNOTICED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
+CLEARLY, THE GOVERNMENT'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAMME MUST ADDRESS BOTH ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM, HE SAID.
DR REED HIGHLIGHTED WATER POLLUTION AS A MAJOR PROBLEM AREA. AND SAID THAT THERE WERE STILL TOO MANY WATER POLLUTION BLACKSPOTS.
THIS SITUATION EXISTED EVEN THOUGH ALMOST 90 PER CENT OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS IN HONG KONG WERE SERVED BY A SEWAGE SYSTEM AND THERE WERE AT PRESENT 20 PLANTS PROVIDING SOME DEGREE OF SEWAGE TREATMENT WITH 27 MORE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION.
+ SINCE ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY IN APRIL THIS YEAR FOR THE PLANNING OF SEWAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN TAKING A FRESH LOOK AT THE EXISTING SITUATION,+ HE SAID.
+AS A RESULT, A MAJOR STUDY WILL BE LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 1987 TO CREATE A MASTER SEWERAGE PLAN FOR ONE OF THE BLACKSPOTS - EAST KOWLOON.
+THIS STUDY WILL ADDRESS ALSO THE QUESTION OF EXPEDIENT CONNECTIONS OF FOUL WATER DRAINS TO SURFACE WATER DRAINS, WHICH APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.+
DR REED SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SEWERAGE AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL PLACED ON A MORE STRATEGIC FOOTING COMPARABLE WITH THE PLANS DEVELOPED FOR DISPOSING OF SOLID WASTES INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.
+ ALTOGETHER, SEWERAGE, ITS TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL WILL REQUIRE A GREAT DEAL OF MY DEPARTMENT'S ATTENTION IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS AND I FEEL THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR A MUCH HIGKER LEVEL OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT THAN IN THE PAST IN THIS PARTICULAR FACET OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE,+ HE ADDED.
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