Connections to Sewers Under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance

How will Connections be Made?

1. The government will send a notice to the owner of the premises, listing out:
   1. the position of the terminal manhole;
   2. the specifications of the terminal manhole;
   3. the date by which the terminal manhole and other pipe work for conveying waste water must be completed;
   4. the date by which all waste water has to be conveyed to the terminal manhole;
   5. the date by which pipe work which is no longer in use will need to be removed or sealed up; and
   6. any other requirements as appropriate.
   
2. After receiving the notice, the owner of the premises will need to:
   1. for premises subject to the control of the Buildings Ordinance:
      1. employ an authorized person (i.e. an architect, engineer or surveyor registered under the Buildings Ordinance) to prepare plans of the terminal manhole and other pipe work;
      2. employ a private contractor registered under the Buildings Ordinance to carry out the construction work; and
      3. ensure that the terminal manhole and other drainage work should be constructed to the standards laid down in the Building Regulations.
   2. for premises subject to the control of the Buildings Ordinance and in Developed Areas in the New Territories (i.e. 'A' Zone on the Zonal Plan for calculation of Compensation Rates):
      • fulfil requirement in (a) above, and seek approval from the relevant District Lands Officer before commencing any construction work that falls within government land.
   3. all premises including New Territories exempted houses where a Certificate of Exemption of drainage works has been issued under the Buildings Ordinance (Application to the New Territories) Ordinance:
      • carry out the construction work in accordance with the notice.
   
3. When the construction is completed, the government will inspect the terminal manhole and other drainage work, and then connect the terminal manhole to the public sewer.
4. After that, the owner of the premises will need to divert all his waste water into the terminal manhole by a specified date.
5. Lastly, the owner is to remove or seal up all pipes leading to the treatment facility on site which is no longer in use.

The owner of the premises will need to maintain the terminal manhole and any pipe work leading from the premises to the terminal manhole.