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SECTION
5 ASSIMILATIVE CAPACITY CAPITAL STOCK
| 5.2 |
Assimilative
Capacity of Marine Waters |
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Other
Marine Water Assimilative Capacity Enhancers
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| 5.2.2.5 |
A
number of other management programmes and
infrastructure developments have been implemented
to improve marine water quality. One example
is the Tolo Harbour Action Plan which consists
of a series of technical, infrastructural
and regulatory measures. The Action Plan
was established in 1986 to reduce and control
polluting inputs of sewage to Tolo Harbour
from the rapidly expanding areas of Tai
Po and Sha Tin through better sewerage and
stricter pollution control measures. Prior
to this time, the industrial and other discharges
to Tolo Harbour had created a situation
of poor water quality due to the heavy loading
and extremely limited flushing capacity
of this nearly enclosed waterbody. As a
result of the second phase of the Action
Plan, known as the Tolo Harbour Effluent
Export Scheme, sewage loadings now routed
to the STWs in Tai Po and Sha Tin are exported
(via pipeline) to Victoria Harbour which
is considered to have a greater capacity
to disperse the pollutant load.
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| 5.2.2.6 |
A
special water quality management plan has
been developed for Deep Bay, which, as identified
in the previous subsection on marine water
quality, has been compromised by heavy pollutant
inputs, natural poor flushing conditions
and reduced freshwater flows. A study was
conducted on the existing conditions in
Deep Bay (Hyder/CES 1998) which was used
to formulate action plans for the area.
Under the Hong Kong Guangdong Environmental
Protection Liaison Group, water quality
objectives have been agreed between the
two parties, a joint monitoring programme
has been established and data are periodically
exchanged. A similar study of Mirs Bay resulted
in the development of objectives and an
action plan in 1998 (Hong Kong and Shenzhen
Government 1996).
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| 5.2.2.7 |
In
addition to these areas of special water
quality focus, Hong Kong's existing sewage
treatment infrastructure supports treatment
of a large volume of wastewater, thereby
directly reducing pollutant loads to marine
waters. Average and total sewage flows from
Hong Kong's existing treatment works as
of 1997 have been compiled from Drainage
Services Department data and are presented
in Table 5.2b. Due to the large number of
individual treatment works, data are summarised
by geographical area.
| Table
5.2b Average and Total Sewage Flows
to Treatment Works by Area (1997 data) |
|
Area
|
Number
of Treatment Plant per Area |
Average
Flow 1000 m3d-1 |
Total
Flow 1000 m3d-1 |
| Hong
Kong Island North |
7 |
379.56 |
138,376.93 |
| Small
Sewage Treatments Works |
2 |
65.31 |
23,846.8 |
| Sewage
Screening Plants |
5 |
314.26 |
114,530.1 |
| Sewage
Treatments Works (10/ 20) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Hong
Kong Island South |
7 |
120.18 |
43,840.5 |
| Small
Sewage Treatments Works |
2 |
0.06 |
20.0 |
| Sewage
Screening Plants |
4 |
115.97 |
42,305.3 |
| Sewage
Treatments Works (10/ 20) |
1 |
4.15 |
1,515.2 |
| Kowloon
Metro |
11 |
1,302.81 |
436,287.4 |
| Small
Sewage Treatments Works |
1 |
0.01 |
2.1 |
| Sewage
Screening Plants |
9 |
1,004.5 |
363,219.3 |
| Sewage
Treatments Works (10/ 20) |
1 |
298.25 |
73,066.0 |
| Southwest
and Lantau Island |
6 |
4.53 |
1,652.3 |
| Small
Sewage Treatments Works |
5 |
2.21 |
805.5 |
| Sewage
Screening Plants |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Sewage
Treatments Works (10/ 20) |
1 |
2.32 |
846.8 |
| West
and Northwest N.T. |
10 |
296.34 |
108,228.67 |
| Small
Sewage Treatments Works |
6 |
0.7 |
249.5 |
| Sewage
Screening Plants |
2 |
163.67 |
59,787.0 |
| Sewage
Treatments Works (10/ 20) |
2 |
131.97 |
48,191.9 |
| East,
Northeast and Southeast N.T. |
7 |
287.6 |
105,049.91 |
| Small
Sewage Treatments Works |
3 |
1.04 |
379.8 |
| Sewage
Screening Plants |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Sewage
Treatments Works (10/ 20) |
4 |
286.56 |
104,670.1 |
| TOTAL |
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| Small
Sewage Treatments Works |
19 |
69.33 |
25,303.7 |
| Sewage
Screening Plants |
20 |
1,598.4 |
579,841.7 |
| Sewage
Treatments Works (10/ 20) |
9 |
723.25 |
228,290.0 |
Source:
ERM (1999) Sludge Treatment and Disposal
Strategy, Final Report to EPD, July, 1999.
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| 5.2.2.8 |
In
addition to these facilities, a number of
new sewage treatment works have been commissioned
since 1997. These works include the Siu Ho
Wan sewage treatment plants on the north shore
of Lantau Island. In the next few years treatment
upgrades will be implemented at San Wai, Siu
Ho Wan and Pillar Point treatment works, and
capacity upgrades are planned for a number
of other plants. Government has also committed
in the 1999 Policy Address (Policy Objectives)
to implementing a 10-year programme to upgrade
disinfection at major sewage treatment works
to reduce bacterial loads by 99.9%. |
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