ENG-1996 — Page 297

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Detailed design for the two new major treatment works at Tai Po and Ngau Tam Mei was completed and construction work commenced. Detailed design of Sham Tseng Treatment Works Stage II was in progress. Other major design work was concentrated on the provision of additional service reservoirs, pumping stations and water supply networks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O, Tsing Yi, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Western District, the Mid-Levels and the Central and West Kowloon Reclamations. Work on the permanent water supply system for the new airport at Chek Lap Kok and other developments in North Lantau associated with the Port and Airport Development Strategy was being implemented in stages. The Stage I works, which included submarine and land mains, a water treatment works, three pumping stations, a service reservoir and an aqueduct between Siu Ho Wan and Silver Mine Bay, were completed and commissioned. Other Stage I works to supply the Port Development will be implemented in stages before 2003.

To eliminate the risks associated with chlorine storage, the replacement of gas chlorination plants by on-site hypochlorite generation plants at sea water pumping stations continued. Reprovisioning of Tai Lam Chung Prechlorination House was completed.

Water Accounts and Customer Relations

The number of consumer accounts continued to rise at a rate of about two per cent and the consumer account base expanded to approximately 2.14 million accounts at the end of 1996. The Sewage Services Ordinance came into effect on April 1, 1995. For administrative convenience, sewage charges and water charges are combined into one single bill and the Water Supplies Department acts as an agent to collect general sewage charges on behalf of the Drainage Services Department.

Computer systems were widely employed to provide efficient enquiry services; to handle applications for water supply and change of consumer particulars; and to issue demand notes for water and sewage charges, connection fees and water deposits.

Efforts to promote the autopay service continued, and the number of consumer accounts using autopay for payment of water charges reached 290 500 or about 13.6 per cent of all consumers. The Payment-by-Phone service was also well received and the number of consumer accounts using this service totalled 234 900 at the end of 1996, or about 11 per cent of all consumers.

The Mong Kok Customer Enquiry Centre was relocated to a new, larger office within the same depot compound. An electronic display queuing system was installed. to improve the customer service provided in the new centre. In June, the department announced its vision and mission together with its achievements against performance targets for the past year which showed improvement over those of the previous year in most areas. Most achievement rates were close to, or reached, 100 per cent. New enhanced performance targets were also publicised.

Electricity

The Hongkong Electric Company Limited (HEC) supplies Hong Kong Island and the neighbouring islands of Ap Lei Chau and Lamma; China Light and Power Company Limited (CLP) supplies Kowloon and the New Territories, including Lantau and several outlying islands. The supply to consumers is at 50Hz alternating current while

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