TNAG-1449-FCO40-1953-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 98

Question No. 10

WRITTEN REPLY BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, CBE, JP IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY, 25 JUNE 1986

Question: Will the Government inform this Council what

action is being taken to solve the serious pollution problem in Victoria Harbour?

The most serious pollution in Victoria Harbour

results from the discharge of sewage and industrial waste

through both foul and surface water drainage systems.

2.

-

It is the policy- because it is cost effective and

environmentally acceptable to do so to dispose of sewage

in Victoria Harbour so long as it is possible to dilute and

disperse the sewage to such an extent that the resultant

water quality is compatible with the intended use of the

Harbour as a port. In this context, most of Victoria

Harbour is still considered, by and large, to be in a

satisfactory condition despite the heavy load it has to

bear. It cannot be claimed that the Harbour is suitable for

swimmiung but this would not be a realistic objective.

3.

Much improvement has been achieved over the last

ten years by replacing discharges of unscreened foul sewage

from old sea-wall outlets by underwater outfalls which carry

the sewage away from the shore into the main tidal flow -

often after preliminary treatment.

Improvements of this

/ nature..