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Following is a question by Dr the Hon Ho Chung-tai and a written reply by the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Gordon Siu, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question :

It is reported that most of the domestic sewage presently discharged from village houses near the Sham Tseng section of the Castle Peak Road directly flow into the sea through stormwater drains; while sewage from other village houses connected to the centralized septic tanks often discharge into the sea through stormwater drains due to overflowing of the septic tanks. It is noted that a proposed sewage treatment works at Sham Tseng will not be completed until 2004. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council :

(a) whether it knows the number of village houses in the area that have not yet been connected to appropriate sewage treatment facilities;

(b) of the measures it has in place to address the problem of sewage overflowing from the centralized septic tanks in the area; and

(c) of the measures that will be adopted to reduce the amount of untreated sewage discharged from the area to the sea before the commissioning of the sewage treatment works?

Reply:

Madam President,

At present, Sham Tseng is an unsewered area. The current population is around 16,200. About 13,900 (86%) live in private residential developments which have their own sewage treatment facilities. The remaining 14% of the population live in about 350 village / squatter houses, of which only about 70 are connected to the two government communal septic tanks. To rectify the situation, a comprehensive sewerage scheme covering Sham Tseng, Ting Kau and Tsing Lung Tau areas is now being implemented. The scheme includes the provision of a comprehensive network of sewers for collecting sewage from these areas for chemical treatment and disinfection in the sewage treatment works to be built in Sham Tseng, and a submarine outfall in Sham Tseng for the disposal of the treated sewage. The scheme has been implemented in stages since 1995. The Administration will be seeking funding approval from the Finance Committee in July 1999 to commence the construction of the main works in mid-2000. It is estimated that the whole sewerage scheme will be completed in 2004.

Our answers to the specific questions are -

(a) About 280 village / squatter houses in the Sham Tseng area do not have direct access to sewerage facilities or have limited sewerage facilities (e.g. have septic tanks for treating toilet waste only).

(b) The Regional Services Department and the Architectural Services Department are responsible for the maintenance and operation of the two government communal septic tanks whereas the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will ensure that their operation complies with the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO). According to EPD, there was no record that the two government communal septic tanks have overflow problems. However, as these facilities were designed and constructed some 20 years ago, the Administration is implementing various improvement measures in the short term to enhance the treatment capacity and performance of these septic tanks, including more frequent removal of the sludge from these tanks and the provision of disinfection facilities. Subject to the outcome of public consultation which is currently being conducted, the construction of disinfection facilities will commence in late 1999 for completion by end 2000. When the sewerage scheme for Sham Tseng, Ting Kau and Tsing Lung Tau is completed in 2004, these communal septic tanks will be decommissioned.

(c) To provide interim relief to the pollution problem in the Sham Tseng area before the commissioning of the comprehensive sewerage scheme in 2004, EPD, in collaboration with other relevant departments, has been implementing the Sham Tseng Nullah Action Plan. Under the Plan, the following measures have been taken:

(i) Strict enforcement against illegal or sub-standard discharge and non-compliance with the WPCO. In 1998, there were 13 convictions for non-compliance with the WPCO requirements in the Sham Tseng area. EPD will continue its enforcement efforts to protect the Sham Tseng Nullah from further pollution.

(ii) Measures to stop the direct discharge of sewage from sources such as the Provisional Regional Council's public toilet, the refuse collection point and the temporary market at the Lower Sham Tseng Resite Village, into the nullah. This is achieved by constructing storage tanks at these facilities for temporary storage of sewage and sludge before they are collected for disposal. With the completion of the storage tanks in February 1999, sewage is no longer discharged into the nullah from the public toilets. Storage tanks are now being constructed at the refuse collection point and will be completed by June 1999. Works will also commence at the temporary market once suitable site has been identified for the storage tank.

(iii) Installation of sand traps at the upper reach of the nullah by the Drainage Services Department (DSD). Also, DSD has furnished the nullah with further concrete lining to prevent the accumulation of sediments on the riverbed and will carry out more frequent desilting operation.

End/Wednesday, June 2, 1999

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