Hand-in-hand with the Community

- Communication with the Media
- Response to Public Enquiries or Complaints
- Community Relations for Capital Works Projects
- Visit to DSD Facilities
- Flood Prevention Exhibitions
- Publications
- DSD’s Homepage

Communication with the Media

The Public Relations Unit is responsible for communicating with outsiders, especially the media, in order to provide comprehensive and prompt response to all issues related to the services and works of the department. To promote the work and services of DSD, the unit arranges press conferences or issues press releases to inform the media and the public. In 2001/02, the unit held press conferences and issued press releases regarding our new contracts such as Shenzhen River Regulation Stage III and the Wan Chai East and North Point Sewerage Project. Project engineers were interviewed by the media and answered their enquiries during the press conferences.

Apart from these, the unit maintains regular and close contacts with media reporters and editors through annual meet-the-media briefings, press briefings, technical visits, occasional lunch meetings, and exchanges views and discusses hot topics and recent developments in the department. In April 2002, the unit organised three separated site visits for the media, Northern District Councillors and Yuen Long District Councillors in order to see the progress of the flood prevention projects in NWNT and NNT. Visitors generally welcomed the trips and found them useful to better understand the works before the rainy season.

The department welcomes enquiries, comments or complaints from the public on the work or services provided by DSD. They are received through different channels such as by letter, fax, telephone or e-mail. We promise to handle all these incoming messages appropriately and promptly. The department’s Performance Pledge explicitly lists out our performance targets and indicators and we monitor them for improved performance.

DSD carries out customer feedback surveys to collect the public’s views on the service of clearing blocked drains and sewers after receiving complaints. According to our statistics, we have achieved our pledge to respond to calls of services within 24 hours with performance over 99%. We further enhance our services by calling back the complainants after completing the clearing work. In 2001, we successfully contacted 2,481 complainants, and found that over 90% were satisfied with the services of DSD with an overall rating being very good or satisfied. Both figures achieved the performace targets in our Performance Pledge 2001.

Community Relations for Capital Works Projects

Apart from the usual communication channels, staff of capital works divisions will enhance the communication with the affected groups before and during the construction stage of a particular project. Engineers responsible for the project will meet the affected groups including local residents or shop operators in the planning stage. They introduced the aim and details of the project, and the works sequence during the construction stage. After receiving the feedback, our engineers would revise the plan as necessary.

As for our Wan Chai East and North Point Sewerage Works which commenced in May 2002, we had already distributed two newsletters before the works started to the affected residents and shop operators. The newsletters giving the details of the works would enhance their understanding of the work and the benefits it brings. It helps our project staff keep communicating with the affected people and resolve any issues arising from the works during construction.

Visit to DSD Facilities

The large sewage treatment plants in HK, such as the latest Stonecutters Island STW, Shatin STW, Tai Po STW, Yuen Long STW and Stanley STW are open for visits by schools, and related organizations. In 2001/02, we had 2,779 visitors to our STWs. The younger generations are given the opportunity to learn about the concept of sewage collection, treatment and disposal and to appreciate the importance of sewage treatment and its contribution towards a better environment.

In joining the “Serving the Community Festival 2002” organized by the Efficiency Unit, DSD supported the function by organising an open day in our Stanley STW in January 2002. Over 700 people visited our plant during these two days. Our staff welcomed this opportunity to communicate with them the department’s effort in sewage collection, treatment and disposal.

Flood Prevention Exhibitions

When the rainy season comes, all DSD staff have to stand ready to deal with flooding. To show the public and relevant organizations the DSD’s work on flood prevention over the past years, we held flood prevention roving exhibitions at Sheung Shui and Yuen Long, the two renowned flood prone areas, in March and April 2002 respectively. Our engineers enthusiastically introduced the Government’s flood prevention strategies to members of the public and answered their enquiries about the progress of the works being carried out in the vicinity of their homes. The staff also worked hard to raise the public’s awareness of flood prevention by reminding visitors to co-operate with the Government in keeping stormwater drains, drainage channels and watercourses free of blockages.

Publications

With great pleasure, the first DSD Annual Report was published in December 2001. Most of the public, especially students and the professions, find the publication useful in knowing more about DSD’s works. Our Annual Report has served as a good reference for studying the progress of our projects for both drainage and sewerage systems.

The department has also published different kinds of leaflets, fact sheets and publications such as the Stormwater Drainage Manual and Sewerage Manuals in order to serve different purposes. For instance, a total of 7,900 copies of “What We Should Do/Shouldn’t Do to Prevent Flooding” leaflets and 3,900 copies of “Flood Warning System” brochures have been sent out to villagers in the flood prone areas throughout the rainy season via the Post Office and District Offices.

Aside from the publications, an Announcement of Public Interest on minimizing blockage of drains was broadcast on TV before and during the rainy season. Members of the public can call the one-stop complaints hotline “2300 1110” to report flooding and blockages in sewers or drains. If the public consider themselves to be at personal risk, they are also urged to report to the emergency services by dialling “999”.

DSD’s Homepage

A new version of DSD’s Homepage was successfully updated in mid 2002, which includes quick reference to the latest progress on flood prevention works and emergency services during flooding. We pledge to keep the website updating and any news will be uploaded as soon as possible under the NEWS column through the form of press release or other bulletins. An e-mail address is printed on the first page of the website welcoming any views on DSD or our works from the public.