Environment Hong Kong 2009
 
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Chapter 9 Water

Mission

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.

TRACKING THE FLOWS OF OUR WATERS

Highlights in 2008

WATER pollution control has had a turbulent history in Hong Kong. The strategies we have today were initially met with resistance and took several years to resolve. Fortunately, there is now a community consensus on our programme to collect, treat and properly dispose of our sewage. But if people want sustained improvements to Hong Kong's waters, they need to consider the larger context.

First, there is the geographical context. Hong Kong shares its water catchment with Guangdong. Our pollution affects our neighbours and vice versa. We therefore are pursuing a co-operative, regional approach to water pollution control. Joint programmes are underway in Deep Bay and Mirs Bay and soon we will focus on the Pearl River Estuary. In 2008 we established the technical means to analyse regional data and provide scientific evidence for regional water pollution control programmes.

Photo - The Pearl River Delta region.

Then there is the local context and how much more we can do here to improve water quality. Much of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) is being implemented, supported by higher sewage charges which are gradually being raised in support of the polluter pays principle. Water quality is improving, but the final stage of HATS may be more costly to achieve. The entire community will need to consider, at some point, what value they place on achieving clean waters across Victoria Harbour for the long term.

Water pollution is not a problem that can be solved by one government acting alone – we need the support of the community and our neighbours to reduce pollution in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region.

A new model for water quality

The next stage of pollution control in the Pearl River Delta region, and by extension Hong Kong, will depend on sound scientific information about water quality and pollution loads. In 2008 we made a major advance in that direction with the unveiling of an advanced numerical water quality model for the Pearl River Estuary region.

The model was developed under the auspices of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group (JWG) on Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection to enhance the assessment of regional water quality so we can develop water quality management plans for the Pearl River Estuary and neighbouring waters.

The model simulates complicated flow dynamics and water quality processes in both the river networks and coastal areas. This is an important development because, until now, we have had models that assessed either rivers or estuary/coastal waters, not the two together. Rivers and estuary and coastal waters have complex interactions that can affect the transport of pollutants and water quality. The new model takes all of this data into account to provide a more complete picture of water quality in the region.

With the model now in working order, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and Guangdong's Environmental Protection Bureau will begin a joint study in late 2009/early 2010 to analyse existing water quality and pollution distributions in the Pearl River Estuary. They will look at the estuary's load carrying capacity under different water quality objectives, and use the information to formulate joint targets and regional water quality management plans.

Photo - Mr Edward YAU, the Secretary for the Environment (left), welcomes Mr LI Qing, Director-General of the Guangdong Environmental Protection Bureau, at the ninth meeting of The Hong Kong - Guangdong Joint Working Group on Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection held in Hong Kong.

Those plans will inevitably require local actions, such as Hong Kong's HATS. The actions we take to improve our own waters have consequences that can reverberate around the region. We are intent on ensuring a positive outcome, both for Hong Kong and our neighbours.

Other regional initiatives

Apart from the water quality model, we have been working through the JWG to improve the state of our shared water bodies. In 2000 the JWG agreed on a 15-year plan to clean up Deep Bay and reduce existing and future pollution there. A review of the plan was completed in late 2007 and in 2008 we jointly established new targets and actions for achieving further improvements. We have a similar programme for Mirs Bay and began reviewing its progress in late 2008.

Photo - The EPD and the Shenzhen Environmental Protection Bureau will jointly commission a study on cleaning up contaminated sediment in the Shenzhen River.

Hong Kong is also a member of the Pan PRD Regional Environmental Protection Co-operation Joint Conference. A study in 2008 focused on rivers in Guangdong, which have implications on general water quality in the Pearl River Estuary. Hong Kong will support the necessary water pollution control initiatives that result from the study. The EPD and the Shenzhen Environmental Protection Bureau also agreed to jointly commission a study in 2009 on cleaning up contaminated sediment in the Shenzhen River.

Progress on HATS

Our regional focus is more than matched by our continued efforts to improve water quality in Hong Kong. HATS is one of Hong Kong's largest infrastructure projects and its aim is to collect and treat sewage from around Victoria Harbour.

HATS Stage 1 was completed in 2001 to treat 75 per cent of the harbour's sewage and resulted in immediate and dramatic improvements in the harbour's water quality. However, the waters near the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works, where the treated effluent is discharged, have deteriorated. The only way to improve that situation and achieve even better water quality across the harbour, is to build Stage 2.

Photo - Victoria Harbour's water quality has been improved after the implementation of HATS Stage 1.

Stage 2 is being implemented in two phases. Construction work has already started on Stage 2A, which will collect and treat the rest of the sewage not covered under Stage 1. Advance Disinfection Facilities are being incorporated into the facilities to disinfect effluent before discharge – work commenced on these in 2008 and should be completed in late 2009, when they will go into early use for effluent from Stage 1. A proposal is also being prepared on funding tunnelling works that will create some 2 000 jobs, for which we will seek the Finance Committee's approval in 2009. Stage 2A is scheduled to be commissioned in 2014.

Chart - Domestic Household Sewage Charge Increases 2008-2017

The Government is paying for the capital costs of Stage 2A and the public will help to cover the operating costs. Sewage charges are gradually being increased to recover 80 per cent of the operating costs. Further increases will depend on the timing of Stage 2B, which will provide a higher level of treatment and handle future flows.

Three key parameters will determine when Stage 2B is built: population, sewage flow and water quality. A review of these parameters will be initiated in 2010. Notably, our measures of water quality will take into account the waters of both Hong Kong and the Pearl River Estuary.

The state of our waters is influenced by, and has an influence on, regional water quality. We are solidifying our efforts with Guangdong to tackle this issue jointly, while ensuring we fulfil our responsibility to reduce and control water pollution in Hong Kong.

Looking Ahead

  • The Environmental Protection Department and Guangdong's Environmental Protection Bureau will begin a joint study to analyse the Pearl River Estuary's existing water quality and load carrying capacity under different water quality objectives.
  • The regional water control strategy for Mirs Bay will be reviewed, and efforts will be continued to improve water quality in Deep Bay.
  • The EPD and Shenzhen Environmental Protection Bureau will begin a joint study to identify suitable technologies to clean up the contaminated sediment in Shenzhen River.
  • A proposal seeking funding for tunnelling works under HATS Stage 2A will be presented to the Legislative Council's Finance Committee.
  • The EPD will closely monitor water quality in the Shing Mun River in advance of the December 2009 East Asian Games, when rowing events will be held in the river.
  • A review of the existing marine water quality objectives will be conducted.
  • A review of the timing of HATS Stage 2B will be initiated in 2010.
 
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