ENG-2020 — Page 245

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Planning, Land and Infrastructure

The department commenced revitalisation works of Jordan Valley Nullah in March and of Tsui Ping River in July. Other than improving the flood protection capability of the watercourse, the latter project will revitalise about 1km of the existing nullah and create a green and vibrant river channel.

The department inspects, clears and repairs drainage systems regularly. In 2020, it inspected about 2,339km and cleared about 839km of drains and watercourses.

Slope Safety

The Civil Engineering and Development Department improves slope safety by adopting better standards and technology, ensuring all new man-made slopes meet safety standards, improving the safety of existing man-made slopes, and mitigating natural terrain landslide risks. The department also issues landslip warnings and provides information, education and community advisory services on slope safety.

Under the Landslip Prevention and Mitigation Programme, the department spent $1.12 billion in 2020 to upgrade 166 substandard government man-made slopes and to mitigate the landslide risk of 35 natural hillside catchments. It also conducted safety screening studies for 100 private man-made slopes.

Drinking Water Safety

The Water Supplies Department (WSD) collects and tests water samples from the consumers' taps of randomly selected premises to monitor the quality of drinking water. In 2020, the test results all complied with the Hong Kong Drinking Water Standards.

The WSD's performance in respect of drinking water quality is monitored by the bureau's Drinking Water Safety Unit. The unit examines the results of the department's water quality monitoring and engages external auditors to audit the department's Drinking Water Quality Management System.

The quality of drinking water could be affected by a building's internal plumbing. In July, the government launched the $440 million Water Safety Plan Subsidy Scheme to subsidise the systematic assessment, management and maintenance of internal plumbing of eligible private buildings.

Water Supplies

Water from Guangdong

Since 1965, Hong Kong has been importing raw water from the Dongjiang River, now the city's major source of raw water. The Dongjiang water supply agreement maintains flexibility in the daily supply rate, ensuring a reliable source of supply and avoiding wastage of precious water resources. In 2020, the city imported 802 million cubic metres of Dongjiang water, and in December a new three-year agreement was signed.

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