ENG-1994 — Page 485

THE ENVIRONMENT

The sewage strategy requires improved sewage collection facilities under sewerage master plans, and a system of deep tunnels and treatment works to treat and dispose of the sewage from the Victoria Harbour area.

Continued work on developing and implementing the sewerage master plans saw good progress during the year. Detailed design started for Stage I of the Strategic Sewage Disposal Scheme.

Domestic, commercial and industrial wastes are collectively referred to as municipal solid waste. Domestic waste is forecast to increase by 3.4 per cent, and commercial and industrial wastes by 4.8 per cent, per year over the next 12 years. By 2006, some 13 200 tonnes of municipal solid waste will require collection and disposal each day. The waste disposal plan, setting out the framework for management of all waste types, was published in late 1989. The plan sets out a programme for phasing out old facilities and the provision of new waste management facilities and services.

Sewerage Master Plans

The existing provision of sewerage in Hong Kong is inadequate. There is a complete absence of sewerage in many developed areas and villages in the rural areas. In areas with some sewerage, there is widespread under-capacity, heavy siltation and numerous expedient connections of sewage discharges to the storm drains, particularly in the older industrial

areas.

To overcome the problem, the government is preparing a total of 16 comprehensive sewerage master plans, covering all sewage catchments in the territory. These plans form the basis for providing adequate sewer networks to collect and convey sewage to the treatment facilities. By the end of the year, 14 sewerage master plan studies had been completed. The other two will be completed shortly.

Sewage Treatment and Disposal

The second and final stages of sewerage improvements in East Kowloon commenced in 1994. In other areas of urban Kowloon, sewerage improvement works were at different stages of design and construction.

In the Hong Kong Island South areas, construction of sewerage was in full swing. The new sewers in Tai Tam, Stanley and Chung Hom Kok, and the underground sewage treatment works at Stanley, were substantially completed.

In the New Territories, provision of sewerage to various villages in Sha Tin, Tai Po and Sai Kung was in progress. Construction works for upgrading and capacity extension to the Tai Po sewage treatment works commenced in 1994 to cope with the rapid population build- up in Tai Po.

Charging Scheme for Sewage Services

A $12 billion programme of sewage improvement schemes was in progress.

The programme comprises an $8.1 billion high-priority scheme to be completed by 1997, which will clean up 70 per cent of the pollution in Victoria Harbour, plus $4 billion of public works expenditure on ongoing sewerage improvement schemes in other areas.

A sewage services charging scheme is proposed to be introduced in 1995, under which users will contribute towards the operating costs of rapidly improving sewage services.

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