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Following is a question by the Hon Joseph Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, in the Legislative Council today (February 18):
Question:
Regarding the quality of Dongjiang water, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the results of the monitoring of quality of Dongjiang raw water supplied to Hong Kong in each of the past five years and, among these results, of the items which did not meet the relevant water quality standards; and whether drinking such substandard fresh water will be harmful to health; if it will, of the details; and
(b) whether it had discussed with the Guangdong authorities last year measures to improve the quality of Dongjiang raw water, including reducing the pollution to the source of Dongjiang water, with a view to reducing the use of chemicals for purifying fresh water; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Since 2000, the Water Supplies Department (WSD) releases on its website data of the quality of drinking water in Hong Kong and the quality of Dongjiang (DJ) raw water as received at Muk Wu Pumping Station (MWPS). From 2002 onwards, the frequency of publication of water quality data has been increased from annual to half-yearly intervals. For details of the information on water quality, please visit the following WSD website:http://www.wsd.gov.hk/en/html/water/qualitydata.htm .
My reply to the two-part question is as follows:
(a) The monitoring results of the quality of DJ raw water supplied to Hong Kong in each of the past five year are at Annex I. The results indicate that the quality of DJ water as received at MWPS complies with the relevant quality standards.
(b) For many years, the Guangdong and Hong Kong sides have discussed actively on DJ water issues including the improvement of water quality. Both sides have also implemented a series of measures and works to mitigate water pollution. With the full commissioning of the dedicated aqueduct in 2003, the quality of DJ water supplied to Hong Kong has significantly improved. The Guangdong and Hong Kong sides concur that DJ water should be protected to reduce pollution at source to further enhance the water quality. At the business meeting held last year, both sides exchanged views on various measures to be taken against DJ water pollution at source. These measures include:
(i) enforcing more strictly the environmental legislations, regulating the pollution emitters along DJ, as well as strengthening the supervision and monitoring of wastewater discharge points along rivers;
(ii) stepping up control over land use planning and environmentally unfriendly activities;
(iii) improving progressively the water resource management and real-time monitoring system; and
(iv) implementing wastewater interception schemes at Shenzhen Reservoir to ensure no contamination in the reservoir.
Over the years, the Guangdong authorities have arranged members of the Hong Kong Advisory Committee on the Quality of Water Supplies annually to inspect and better understand the implementation of various pollution prevention and control measures along DJ. The inspection for last year was conducted in November. The Guangdong and the Hong Kong sides will continue to work closely so as to reduce pollution at source and continuously enhance the quality of DJ water.
Ends/Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:01
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