Environmental Protection Department

Major Reporting Areas under EPD's Programmes

V – BETTER WATER QUALITY

Long term objective (1) :

Restore Deep Bay to a clean and healthy state.

Targets

Measurement
Method / Indicator

Progress (or slippage with reason(s) if applicable) / Remark

Targets in 2006
i.	To complete the remaining river pollution surveys in the North District in March 2006 and develop a revised Deep Bay Water Quality Model by December 2006.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of target.

Progress
All river pollution surveys were completed in March 2006. For the water quality model, work related to the pollution load estimation and projection was much more complicated than expected. The model development will extend to June 2007.

Targets for 2007
i.	To complete the revised Deep Bay Water Quality Model by June 2007.

ii.	To complete the first review of the Deep Bay (Shenzhen Bay) Water Pollution Control Joint Implementation Programme by December 2007.

Measured in terms of number of planning schemes / strategic proposals reviewed, and number of people benefited.

Remark
Nil.

Long term objective (2) :

Develop a regional water quality management plan for the Pearl River Estuary.

Targets

Measurement
Method / Indicator

Progress (or slippage with reason(s) if applicable) / Remark

Targets in 2006
i.	To complete the Pearl River Delta Water Quality Model development work by December 2006.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of target.

Progress
Further calibration was required to improve the model performance. The model development work will extend to May 2007.

Targets for 2007
i.	To complete the Pearl River Delta Water Quality Model in May 2007.

ii.	To discuss with Guangdong the next stage of cooperation to undertake a joint study for Pearl River Estuary regional water quality management.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of targets.

Remark
Nil.

Long term objective (3) :

Make reclaimed water usage one of the key options under the Total Water Management initiative in Hong Kong.

Targets

Measurement
Method / Indicator

Progress (or slippage with reason(s) if applicable) / Remark

Targets in 2006
i.	To complete construction work and start generating treated water for selected users under the Demonstration Scheme on Reclaimed Water Uses in the North District.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of target.

Progress
The advanced treatment plant for the Demonstration Scheme was commissioned in October 2006, and supply of reclaimed water to some users started in November 2006.

Targets for 2007
i.	To supply reclaimed water to all selected users.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of targets.

Remark
Nil.

Long term objective (4) :

Achieve full recovery of the costs of operating sewage services through the sewage charging scheme.

Targets

Measurement
Method / Indicator

Progress (or slippage with reason(s) if applicable) / Remark

Targets in 2006
i.	To finalise and implement the results of a review of the Trade Effluent Surcharge Scheme.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of targets.

Progress

In 2006, the review of the operation of the Trade Effluent Surcharge Scheme has been completed and improvement proposals have been publicised.

ii.	To secure unequivocal community support for recovery of the full operating costs of sewage services from all users.

A proposal for the gradual increased recovery of sewage service operating costs has been put forward to the community.

Targets for 2007
i.	To secure the approval of the legislature to the proposed increases in the sewage charge.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of targets.

Remark
Nil.

Long term objective (5) :

Implement HATS Stage 2 to improve the harbour water quality and sustain the improvement in the long term.

Targets

Measurement
Method / Indicator

Progress (or slippage with reason(s) if applicable) / Remark

Targets in 2006
i.	To obtain funding for HATS Stage 2A construction work (dependent upon LegCo's agreement that the full operating costs should be recovered through sewage charges).

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of targets.

Progress
The review of the sewage charging scheme has taken longer than expected. This has had a knock-on effect on the funding applications. Funding for tunnel design and investigations was secured but the funding application for the planning and design of the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works upgrade was deferred to 2007.

ii.	To decide on the disinfection process to be adopted for HATS Stage 2A.

Chlorination (using purchased sodium hypochlorite) followed by de-chlorination is the proposed disinfection process and it will be submitted for consideration under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) in 2007.

iii.	To decide on the procurement arrangements for upgrading Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works under HATS Stage 2A.

It was decided to procure the upgrading of Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works by an “Enhanced Design-Build” arrangement.

Targets for 2007
i.	To obtain approval under the EIAO for the advance disinfection facilities.

ii.	To obtain funding for the planning and design of the upgrading works for Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works and associated facilities for HATS Stage 2A (dependent upon LegCo's agreement to the proposed increases in sewage charges).

iii.	To obtain funding for the construction of the advance disinfection facilities for HATS Stage 2A (dependent upon LegCo's agreement to the proposed increases in sewage charges).

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of targets.

Remark
Nil.

Long term objective (6) :

Deliver the sewerage programme in a more cost-effective way through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.

Targets

Measurement
Method / Indicator

Progress (or slippage with reason(s) if applicable) / Remark

Targets in 2006
i.	To draw up a road map for the implementation of PPP in sewerage projects.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of target.

Progress
Discussions for drawing up the road map continued.

Targets for 2007
i.	To produce the road map for the implementation of PPP in sewerage projects.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of target.

Remark
Nil.

Long term objective (7) :

Review subjects related to the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO).

Targets

Measurement
Method / Indicator

Progress (or slippage with reason(s) if applicable) / Remark

Targets in 2006
i.	To conduct an internal review of proposals for changes to the WPCO.

ii.	To conduct an internal review of proposals for changes to the WPCO Technical Memorandum.

iii.	To initiate a review of the Water Quality Objectives.

iv.	To review the guidance for setting WPCO effluent standards.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of targets.

Progress
Items (i) and (ii) were completed, while item (iv) is on-going.

For item (iii), the areas for the review have been identified. To meet the potential expectation of the public, the review proposal has been revised in order to speed up the overall review process.

Targets for 2007
i.	To initiate the review of the Water Quality Objectives, with further refinement of the review proposal as necessary.

ii.	To complete the review of the guidance for setting WPCO effluent standards.

Measured in terms of progress and achievement of targets.

Remark
Nil.