ENG-1978 — Page 203

PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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In the New Territories, reclamation was completed for the first stage of Tai Po Industrial Estate, providing a total of 27 hectares of formed land. Reclamation for the second stage continued. At Shuen Wan, near Tai Po, 8.9 hectares were formed for a police cadet school and on Lantau Island 18 hectares were formed for a maximum security prison.

A comprehensive feasibility study on the possible future development of Junk Bay to provide land for industry and housing was completed by consultants. An engineer- ing feasibility study for urban development in the northern part of Lantau Island commenced. The study also included an assessment of the amount of earthworks which would be involved if a replacement airport was built at Chek Lap Kok Island, near Lantau Island.

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Drainage and Anti-pollution Projects Sewage from the urban areas is collected by a separate system of sewers and, in most cases, is discharged into the sea via submarine outfalls after preliminary treatment to remove offensive and visible solids. Laying of new sewers in Ap Lei Chau, Hung Hom Kwai Chung and Yuen Long was completed and construction of submarine outfalls at Kwai Chung, Chai Wan and Repulse Bay continued. New submarine outfall construction at Ap Lei Chau and Tuen Mun was started.

A report on experimental work, which assessed the suitability of various sewage treatment methods at the Shek Wu Hui pilot sewage treatment plant, was being pre- pared. Additional experiments on the co-digestion of septic tank sludge with sewage sludge were completed, while further tests on plastic media filters continued. A pilot study on the treatment of abattoir wastes was about to start. The new sewage treatment works at Yuen Long were completed. Construction of other treatment works at Tai Po, Aberdeen, Ap Lei Chau and Repulse Bay was in progress. Consulting engineers continued with the design of Stage I sewage treatment and disposal works for north- west Kowloon. Radioactive tracer tests in East Lamma and Tathong Channels, to assess the suitability of these sites for sludge dumping, were completed. Construction work for Stage I of the permanent sewage treatment plant to serve Sha Tin New Town commenced at the beginning of the year.

The long-term monitoring of the quality of local waters to establish pollution levels and trends, and to provide data for the timely implementation of sewage treatment facilities, continued. A data report summarising all monitoring results to mid-1978 was being prepared.

Duplication of stormwater drains in Kwun Tong Road was completed and river training works at Tung Chung on Lantau Island continued.

About 1,050,000 tonnes of solid wastes were treated at the five controlled tipping sites at Sai Tso Wan, Ngau Chi Wan, Gin Drinker's Bay, Ma Tso Lung and Shuen Wan. This is an increase of 10 per cent over the previous year's figure. Construction of replacement tips at Junk Bay, Ma Yau Tong and Siu Lang Shui was in progress. Construction of a refuse incinerator at Kwai Chung continued and commissioning commenced in November. The plant has a capacity of 900 tonnes a day and is ex- pected to be fully operational in 1979.

The construction of Hong Kong's first full-scale refuse composting plant, at Chai Wan, commenced at the beginning of the year and will be completed early in 1979.