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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1988
SIR DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS CARRYING OUT A MAJOR REVIEW OF SEWERAGE FACILITIES, AND THE AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWAGE COLLECTION, TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES HAD ALREADY BEEN MAPPED OUT.
THE NEW DRAINAGE SERVICES DEPARTMENT WOULD BRING TOGETHER FUNCTIONS AT PRESENT CARRIED OUT BY A NUMBER OF EXISTING DEPARTMENTS, HE SAID.
CONSTRUCTION,
"IT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SEWERS, DRAINS AND SEWAGE TREATMENT DISPOSAL FACILITIES.
AND
"IT WILL ALSO HAVE AN IMPORTANT ENFORCEMENT ROLE IN ENSURING THAT SEWAGE AND INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENT ARE DISPOSED OF PROPERLY."
CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECTS COSTING ABOUT $2 BILLION HAD EITHER STARTED ALREADY OR WOULD START DURING THE NEXT YEAR, SIR DAVID SAID.
THESE INCLUDED THE NORTH-WEST NEW TERRITORIES TRUNK SEWER AND A SCHEME TO PUMP TREATED EFFLUENT FROM SHA TIN FOR DISCHARGE INTO THE KAI TAK NULLAH.
"THIS IMAGINATIVE PROPOSAL WILL REDUCE THE POLLUTION OF TOLO HARBOUR WHILE AT THE SAME TIME HELPING TO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF THE KAI TAK NULLAH," HE SAID.
"A START IS BEING MADE ON THE DETAILED DESIGN OF NEW SEWERAGE SYSTEMS FOR EAST KOWLOON AND HONG KONG ISLAND (SOUTH), AS WELL AS THE PREPARATION OF MASTER PLANS FOR TSUEN WAN AND KWAI CHUNG, NORTH WEST KOWLOON, TOLO HARBOUR AND PORT SHELTER.
"WE SHALL NEED MORE TREATMENT FACILITIES AND NEW OUTFALLS CONSTRUCTED SUFFICIENTLY FAR OUT TO SEA.
"I
POLLUTION AS AN
SIR DAVID DESCRIBED SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL UNFORTUNATE BY-PRODUCT OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND POPULATION GROWTH.
DISCHARGES
AND
WATER QUALITY AT GAZETTED BEACHES HAD DETERIORATED, OF INDUSTRIAL WASTE WERE AN INCREASING THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, THE HARBOUR WAS NOW HEAVILY POLLUTED.
HALTING THIS DECLINE AND DOING MORE ΤΟ IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT WOULD REQUIRE BETTER PLANNING, MAJOR INITIATIVES ΤΟ CONTROL POLLUTION DISCHARGES AND LARGE SCALE INVESTMENT IN FACILITIES FOR THE PROPER DISPOSAL OF SEWAGE AND MUNICIPAL AND
INDUSTRIAL
WASTES.
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