Following is a question by the Hon Holden Chow and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (April 30):
 
Question:
 
     It is learnt that the Government commenced the rural trunk sewerage project in Kam Tin Heung (the trunk sewerage project) in as early as 2006, and the private housing courts completed in the vicinity have already been connected to the trunk sewer. However, there have yet to be any public sewer connection works carried out for quite a number of the villages under the Kam Tin Rural Committee, causing great distress to the villagers over the years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the following information on the villages under the Kam Tin Rural Committee in relation to public sewer connection works (set out in a table): (i) the names of the villages where public sewer connection works have been completed or are being carried out, (ii) the titles of the relevant works projects as well as the time required/estimated for completing the works, and (iii) the names of the villages where no public sewer connection works have been carried out;
 
(2) among the villages mentioned in (1)(iii) where no public sewer connection works have been carried out, of a list of those villages for which the authorities have plans to carry out such works, as well as the locations and commencement dates of such works (set out in a table);
 
(3) of the commencement and completion dates of the trunk sewerage project, as well as the shortest distance for laying a sewer to connect to the trunk sewer from Kam Tin Heung; and
 
(4) as it is learnt that in 2016, the Kam Tin Rural Committee made a request for improvement of the sewerage system of Kam Tin Heung, as well as proposed to lay sewers to connect to the aforesaid trunk sewer, whether the authorities will carry out such works for Kam Tin Heung; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government has all along been allocating resources with a view to taking forward the Village Sewerage Programme (the Programme) to progressively provide public sewerage facilities in village areas for improving rural environment and enhancing the water quality of rivers and coastal waters. Currently, the sewerage systems for 17 village areas in Yuen Long district have been completed. 

     The Government's consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Holden Chow is as follows:

(1) and (2) The Programme currently covers nine village areas in Kam Tin, Yuen Long. Among them, the Drainage Services Department commenced the village sewerage works for part of Kam Tin Shi in 2020 and completed the works in 2024, while the investigation study for the sewerage systems of the other eight village areas has been completed. Relevant information is tabulated below:
 

Progress	No. of village areas	Names of project and village areas
Sewerage works completed	1	Village sewerage at Kam Tin Shi, Kam Tin – Kam Tin Shi (part)
Investigation study completed	8	Village sewerage for Kam Tin, Yuen Long (Stage 1) – Ha Ko Po, Ko Po San Tsuen, Ko Po Tsuen (Kam Tin), Tsz Tong Tsuen (Kam Tin), Wing Lung Wai, Kam Tin San Tsuen, Tai Hong Wai and Kat Hing Wai

 
     Given the large number of village areas scattered over an extensive area in Yuen Long district, the Government will take into account various factors, including level of improvement to the environment by the Programme, density of village population, preference of residents, technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness and financial position, to plan relevant works for the remaining village areas in Kam Tin in a timely manner.

(3) and (4) The works project of Kam Tin trunk sewers commenced in 2005. However, due to a lack of consensus among stakeholders and congestion of underground utilities along the route, parts of the trunk sewers of the Kam Tin village sewerage were not completed concurrently upon project completion in 2011. Nevertheless, the constructed trunk sewers are still available for connection to the aforementioned village areas in Kam Tin. In general, the distance for laying branch sewer to connect to trunk sewer is considered during the detailed design stage of individual village sewerage projects.

     The Government will continue to strengthen communication with stakeholders such as District Councils, Rural Committees, and village representatives for the orderly planning and implementation of the village sewerage projects. Residents in village areas yet to be provided with public sewerage at present, including some remote and sparsely populated villages, can continue to use on-site sewage treatment facilities such as septic tanks and soakaway systems to treat their sewage.

Ends/Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Issued at HKT 11:30

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