ENG-2001 — Page 295

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Drainage Services

Flood Prevention Infrastructure

The Drainage Services Department (DSD) is implementing a series of major flood control projects in the New Territories and in West Kowloon, costing about $12 billion.

In the north-western New Territories, improvement works to about 10 kilometres of the lower and middle reaches of the Kam Tin River and the Shan Pui River in Yuen Long have been completed. Construction of about 14 kilometres of drainage channels for the upper reaches of the Kam Tin River and the Ngau Tam Mei has been in progress since 1999. Design work for another 21 kilometres of new river channels is under way, including the Yuen Long Bypass Floodway, the upper reaches of the Kam Tin River and the San Tin Eastern and Western main drainage channels. In the northern New Territories, one of the more critical flood mitigation undertakings is the Shenzhen River Regulation Project, which aims to improve the downstream outlet for several major rivers in the area, such as River Indus and River Beas. The Stage I and Stage II works of the project have been completed, and construction of the Stage III work commenced in December for completion in 2005. Design work for another five kilometres of drainage channels is also under way, including the Ma Wat and Kau Lung Hang channels. On completion of these river training works, the flooding problem in the New Territories will be alleviated.

In addition to the major river training works, village flood protection schemes have been implemented to protect low-lying villages, which are lower than the drainage. channels, from flood hazards. So far, 19 schemes are in operation, two more schemes at Mei Po Lo Wai and Chuk Yuen are under construction, and another six schemes are at various stages of planning and design.

In West Kowloon, good progress has been made on the Stage I and Stage II drainage improvement works which are scheduled for completion in 2003 and 2004, respectively. In order to minimise the extent of road openings caused by the extensive drainage improvement works, construction of an underground flood storage tank with a 100 000-cubic metre capacity — underneath the Tai Hang Tung Recreation Ground and a 1.8-kilometre stormwater transfer tunnel from Kowloon Tong to Kai Tak Nullah, commenced in early 2001 for completion in 2004. The Stage III work also commenced, in March, for completion in 2007.

The department has completed seven Drainage Master Plan Studies to review the condition and performance of the existing stormwater drainage systems in various flood-prone areas throughout Hong Kong. Both long-term and short-term measures to upgrade the system to cope with the current and future development needs will be devised.

The department operates a preventive maintenance programme whereby the public drainage system is regularly inspected and desilted both before and during the rainy season. These preventive measures ensure that stormwater will be discharged effectively, and prevent blockages and overflows which may cause flooding and nuisance to the public.

In 2001, the department maintained about 2 400 kilometres of watercourses, river channels and drains, from which about 160 000 cubic metres of silt were removed. To provide effective drainage services, the department operates a 24-hour drainage

235