ENG-1995 — Page 263

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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Implementation of the $5.32 billion Principal Collection and Treatment System of the massive Strategic Sewage Disposal Scheme was in full swing in 1995. All 15 works contracts had been awarded. Construction of 26 kilometres of deep sewage tunnels and the chemically-enhanced primary sewage treatment works on Stonecutters Island, which will discharge the sewage into the Western Harbour, were progressing on schedule for completion in mid-1997.

The Director of Drainage Services is also the General Manager of the new Sewage Services Trading Fund, established on March 11, 1994, with a $6.8 billion injection of government capital for the sewerage infrastructure programme. Its initial objective is to bring about early improvements to the water quality around Victoria Harbour through the high-priority implementation of some of the above-mentioned projects. With the introduction of sewage charges on April 1, 1995, the trading fund began receiving revenue directly from the public to fund the operating costs of sewage services.

Stormwater Drainage and Flood Control

The North and North-West districts of the New Territories are particularly vulnerable to flooding. The main causes leading to the aggravation of flooding in the New Territories have been the urbanisation of the rural areas and uncontrolled developments on the floodplains of the main rivers. To assist planners, the department has developed basin management plans for the five flood-prone basins in the North and North-West New Territories. They have been used to help prepare outline zoning plans and development permission area plans. Furthermore, proponents of infrastructural projects with significant drainage impacts are also required to carry out drainage impact assessments so the effect can be limited to an acceptable standard.

Seven drainage masterplan studies will be carried out in the coming five years. They will address the secondary and local drainage problems for the five flood-prone basins in the North and North-West New Territories. In addition, ageing storm- water drainage systems in the urban areas, will be subject to a comprehensive and systematic review.

The government continued to implement schemes aimed at alleviating flooding in the North and North-West New Territories. Projects valued at some $7 billion are at various stages of planning, design and construction.

Construction work on the improvement of the Kam Tin River and the Shan Pui River in Yuen Long progressed satisfactorily. The works upstream commenced in late 1995. Design work was in progress to build a further 24 kilometres of drainage channels in Kam Tin, Ngau Tam Mei and San Tin.

As an associated measure, 15 flood water pumping systems have been constructed and are in operation to mitigate the impact of flooding in low-lying villages in the New Territories. About a dozen more are under planning and design.

The government has agreed to entrust the construction of the first stage of the three-stage Shenzhen River Regulation project to the Shenzhen Municipal Govern- ment. First-stage work, which comprises straightening the bends at Lok Ma Chau and Liu Pok, started in May 1995 and are due for completion in mid-1997. The construction and management cost, totalling about $300 million, will be shared equally between the two sides. Both sides have also begun the preparatory works and