After the declaration of a WCZ, it normally takes up to three years to achieve a significant level of compliance with effluent discharge standards stipulated in the licences. Based on compliance monitoring results, 70% of the higher priority industrial discharges in this WCZ are complying with the effluent standards. Fifty five factories have already commissioned wastewater treatment facilities, and more treatment plants are nearing completion or being commissioned.
It should also be noted, however, that major improvements in water quality cannot be achieved through controls under the WPCO alone. Additional actions to curtail pollution from untreated effluent include, (i) controls under the Waste Disposal Ordinance (Chemical Waste Control Regulation): some 150 factories have already arranged to send their chemical wastes for treatment and disposal at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre so that these wastes do not go into the sewerage system; (ii) the provision of adequate sewerage facilites: a comprehensive sewerage master plan for the Tsuen Wan area has been formulated to increase capacity of the foul sewerage system and to collect the sewage for treatment at the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Plant, which is under construction. These sewerage improvement works commenced in late 1994 and would be completed by mid-1997; and (iii) rectification of illegal connections and discharges to the storm drains: some 50 illegal drainage connections have been rectified and about 6,200 cubic metres per day of effluent have been redirected to the foul sewers.
(b) Of the 34 bleaching and dyeing factories in this WCZ, 22 have already installed wastewater treatment plants and are in full compliance with the WPCO. The remaining 12 factories will soon complete the installation of in-house treatment plants with a view to full commissioning in the next 10 months. The Environmental Protection Department will take action against those factories that fail to complete the improvement works in time. Licensing, enforcement, and the provision of adequate sewerage will stop the bleaching and dyeing factories from discharging untreated effluent into the WCZ by mid-1997.
End/Wednesday, October 25, 1995