XN000022-1980-08-06 — Page 19

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1980

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PROGRAMME TO COMBAT WATER POLLUTION

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A MAJOR ONGOING PROGRAMME OF INSTALLING NEW OR IMPROVED

SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITIES OR EXTENDING OUTFALL PIPES TO A GREATER DISTANCE OFFSHORE TO CONTROL WATER POLLUTION LEVELS IS IN FORCE, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE PROGRAMME, HE SAID, IS EXPECTED TO COST GOVERNMENT ABOUT $2 000 MILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

MR JONES MADE THE COMMENTS IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN ANSWER TO THE HON WONG LAM, WHO ASKED WHAT MEASURES WERE BEING TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT TO CONTROL THE POLLUTION LEVEL IN THE WATER AT HONG KONG'S GAZETTED BEACHES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF SWIMMERS.

REGARDING THE BEACHES, MR JONES SAID, TOILET FACILITIES WERE PROVIDED AND THESE DISCHARGED EITHER INTO SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS OR SEPTIC TANKS OR CESSPOOLS WHICH WERE EMPTIED REGULARLY BY STAFF OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

MR JONES POINTED OUT THAT THE LEVELS OF POLLUTION IN THE WATERS AT GAZETTED BEACHES WERE MEASURED SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH BY THE URBAN SERVICES AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTS.

+ IF THE NUMBERS OF FAECAL COLIFORM BACTERIA IN SAMPLES INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITIES OF SEWAGE. THEN FURTHER TESTS ARE CARRIED OUT TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER DISEASE CAUSING ORGANISMS ARE PRESENT, HE SAID.

+ IF A HEALTH HAZARD IS CONFIRMED AND THE SOURCE OF THE POLLUTION CANNOT BE ELIMINATED, THEN THE BEACH CAN BE DE-GAZETTED AND THE PUBLIC WARNED OF THE DANGER.

THE ONLY TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED WAS AT LAI CHI KOK BAY IN 1972 AND, SINCE THEN, THE MEASURES I HAVE DESCRIBED HAVE IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF WATER AT MOST BATHING BEACHES.

+ THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO MAINTAIN THIS IMPROVEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, AT REPULSE BAY WHERE A CHLORINATION PLANT TO STERILISE THE TREATED SEWAGE HAS RECENTLY BEEN BROUGHT INTO OPERATION, HE ADDED.

MR JONES SAID THAT ALTHOUGH POLLUTION FROM SEWAGE DISPOSAL WAS BEING DEALT WITH ENERGETICALLY, THERE WERE OTHER CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS WHICH, IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND PARTS OF HONG KONG ISLAND, WAS PIG AND POULTRY MANURE WASHED DOWN IN STREAMS.

AND, IN SOME CASES, HE CONTINUED, STORMWATER DRAINS AND NULLAHS COULD CARRY POLLUTED MATTER INTO THE SEA.

HOWEVER, HE ASSURED THE PUBLIC THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE URBAN COUNCIL WERE TACKLING, AND WERE SEEKING FURTHER WAYS TO TACKLE THESE SOURCES AND THAT THEIR ABILITY TO DO SO WOULD INCREASE AS STAFF AND OTHER RESOURCES NEEDED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION BUILD UP.

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