To achieve marine and fresh water quality objectives that will safeguard the health and welfare of the community and meet various conservation goals, by planning for the provision of sewage facilities, intervening in the planning process and enforcing the controls in the Water Pollution Control Ordinance and the Dumping At Sea Ordinance.
20th anniversary water quality monitoring reports on Hong Kong's beaches, marine waters, rivers and streams.
The EPD marked its 20th anniversary of monitoring water quality in Hong Kong in 2006, a significant milestone in the effort to assess and remedy water pollution. Monitoring began at a time when beaches, marine waters and rivers were heavily polluted with untreated discharges from households, industry and livestock waste. Since 1986, many of these problems have been rectified on the back of hard scientific evidence provided by monitoring.
Results from the monitoring programme have contributed to the core of Hong Kong's water programme, including sewerage master plans to systematically hook everybody up to proper sewage collection and treatment, the implementation of the Water Pollution Control Ordinance to control all discharges, livestock waste controls, and the development of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS). Equally as important, monitoring has provided a record of the achievements of these initiatives.

Beach water quality: In 1986, 11 beaches had a good rating; by 2006, 22 beaches were rated 'good'. Water quality in the 41 gazetted beaches is measured three times a month during the March to October bathing season.
Location map of beaches where EPD closely monitors the water quality during the bathing season.
Marine waters: In 1986 the overall compliance rate of Water Quality Objectives was 76 per cent and Tolo Harbour in particular had a serious red tide problem. By 2006 compliance was 87 per cent, Tolo Harbour rarely experienced red tides and pollution levels in Victoria Harbour had dropped significantly. Measurements are taken from 76 water quality monitoring stations and 45 bottom sediment monitoring stations.

Rivers and streams: In the 1980s more than half the rivers and streams had 'bad' or 'very bad' water quality. By 2006, 81 per cent were classified as 'excellent' or 'good'. Water quality samples are taken monthly from 82 stations throughout Hong Kong.

Looking ahead, monitoring will continue to provide important evidence of the effectiveness of our upcoming programmes, including Stage 2 of HATS and the on-going implementation of sewerage master plans and livestock waste controls.
The water quality of Tuen Mun River has improved over the past two decades.
Tuen Mun River in the 1980s. Tuen Mun River today.
The completion of HATS Stage 1 has brought overall improvements to Victoria Harbour's water quality. However, in some areas the situation has worsened. The effluent from Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works is not disinfected and has produced higher than predicted bacteria levels in the western waters. Four beaches in Tsuen Wan have had to be closed as a result (three other beaches in the area had already been closed due to localised pollution – see box on Investment in Sewerage).
Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works.
Stage 2A will help to fix this problem by introducing disinfection. A proposal to chlorinate, then de-chlorinate, the effluent is undergoing an environmental impact assessment (EIA), to be completed in the middle of 2007. Preliminary indications are that any chlorinated by-products would be in extremely low concentration and readily degradable, and the impacts would be within acceptable limits. The EIA will be presented to the Advisory Council on the Environment for endorsement in autumn 2007 and, providing sewage charges are agreed, work could then proceed to have disinfection facilities in place in 2009, allowing Tsuen Wan's beaches to re-open as early as possible.
'Reclaimed water' is sewage effluent that has been highly treated to make it safe for other uses, such as toilet flushing and irrigation. It has been widely practiced for many years in such countries as the United States, Japan and Australia. Hong Kong is now conducting a demonstration scheme on its applicability here.

In autumn 2006, the EPD commissioned an advanced treatment plant and dedicated pipeline to treat some of the effluent from Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works in North District and produce high quality disinfected reclaimed water. The water is used by a select group of domestic homes, schools and homes for the elderly for such non-potable uses as toilet flushing, landscape irrigation and water features. The demonstration scheme will end in 2008 and it is hoped the results will establish a basis for wider use of reclaimed water in Hong Kong.
The advanced treatment plant at Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works produces reclaimed water from effluent. A primary school in North District uses reclaimed water for irrigation.
Over the next ten years the Government will spend about $20 billion on HATS Stage 2A and all other sewage-related works. Of this, about $9 billion will be used for the non-HATS sewerage programme and the upgrading of sewage treatment works such as those at Pillar Point and San Wai. One important aspect of the sewerage programme is the need to connect more villages to the sewerage system to stop their sewage from being flushed untreated into nearby waters.

A case in point is Sham Tseng and Ting Kau villages. Pollution from these hinterlands, together with undisinfected effluent from Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works, has made several beaches unhealthy for swimming. In 2006 the Government prepared to begin village sewerage works in Sham Tseng and Ting Kau to divert polluted flows away from the beaches for treatment at the Sham Tseng Sewage Treatment Works. It is also hoping to start disinfecting the Stonecutters effluent from 2009, provided the Legislative Council supports a proposal for higher sewage charges. These measures together will enable beaches in the area to become safe again for swimmers.
Examples of future major projects other than HATS
Future Projects Capital Cost
($million)		 Recurrent
Cost ($million)
Expansion of Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works 271 4.1
Upgrading of Pillar Point Sewage Treatment Works 834 53.6
Sai Kung Sewage Treatment Works Phase 2 upgrading 230 10.8
Upgrading of San Wai Sewage Treatment Works 1,168 76.1
Tai Po Sewage Treatment Works Stage 5 886 25.2