21 January, 2002
The Drainage Services Department (DSD) today (January 21) commissioned three pilot plant trials of Biological Aerated Filters and another compact tertiary sewage treatment technology.
The aim of the trials is to test the feasibility and effectiveness of three kinds of compact tertiary sewage treatment technologies in treating saline sewage in both hot and cold seasons, with a view to verifying the viability of applying these technologies to the further stages of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS).
These will include compact sewage treatment technologies of two differently configured Biological Aerated Filters and the Submerged Aerated Filter/Denitrification Filter. An opening tendering exercise was conducted late last year. These technologies were selected on the basis of their compactness and their successful applications in treatment facilities outside Hong Kong.
Speaking after the contracts signing ceremony, the Assistant Director of Drainage Services, Mr. S Aggarwal, said the trials and other related studies would provide the information needed to undertake a full analysis of the options put forward by a panel of experts in 2000 for the further stages of the HATS.
"The information obtained from the trials will also help to determine whether the compact technologies investigated can have a wider application in Hong Kong," Mr. Aggarwal added.
The contracts were awarded to ATAL Engineering Limited, Binnie Black & Veatch Hong Kong Limited, and CST Engineering Limited each at a cost ranging from $5.3 million to $6.2 million.
The trials will be carried out at the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works and is expected to take 13 months to complete (including 3 months for setting up the plants).