ENG-2008 — Page 286

226 Infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation

Ping Yuen, Sheung Yue and Ng Tung Rivers in the Northern New Territories is in

progress.

In the urban areas, construction of remaining nine kilometres of storm water drains in East Kowloon will be completed by 2011. In West Kowloon, the 100 000- cubic metre Tai Hang Tung flood storage tank, the 1.5-kilometre Kai Tak storm water transfer tunnel, and over 40 kilometres of storm water drains have been constructed. On Hong Kong Island, the construction of intercepting drains at Queen's Road Central was completed in June 2008. In order to mitigate the flooding in Sheung Wan, construction of the Sheung Wan stormwater pumping station commenced in 2006 for completion in 2009.

To further reduce the flooding risk in urban areas, Hong Kong West Drainage. Tunnel, Tsuen Wan Drainage Tunnel and Lai Chi Kok Drainage Tunnel, totaling 19 kilometres with 43 intake structures, will be constructed. Construction of the former two tunnels commenced in late 2007, while work on the Lai Chi Kok Drainage Tunnel started in November 2008. These projects, when completed in 2012, will channel storm water from hillsides to the sea through the drainage tunnels, reducing the risk of flooding in urban areas such as Happy Valley, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, Central and Western District, Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, Cheung Sha Wan and Lai Chi Kok. This will also minimise the need to build additional drains in these highly congested urban areas.

Under a preventive maintenance programme, the department maintains about 2 600 kilometres of watercourse, river channels and drains, from which about 13 000 cubic metres of silt were removed in 2008.

Apart from arranging regular visits to the San Tin Flood Prevention Information Centre for district councillors and school students, the department also distributed pamphlets to villagers and property management offices to educate the public on flood prevention. To introduce the department's work to the public, it held an Open Day at Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works in March and joined the 'Science in the Public Service' Fun Fair in November.

Nullah Improvement Works

In 2005, the Government announced that 16 sections of nullahs in the urban areas would be decked to improve their surrounding environment. Eight sections of decking works including Lung Chu Street Nullah under Package A were completed in 2006 and 2007. Four sections of nullah improvement works under Package B commenced in 2008. The remaining four nullahs under Package C are in the design. stage and public consultation is being carried out with a view to meeting public needs. Package C nullah improvement works are scheduled to commence in 2009 and 2010 for completion by 2014.

Rehabilitation of the Yuen Long Town Nullahs is also being undertaken. The existing nullahs in Yuen Long Town were constructed more than 40 years ago and a consultancy study was commissioned in 2007 to investigate the feasibility of improving their environmental conditions.