In 2013-14, the successful commissioning of various projects and steady progress of Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) Stage 2A, have made the year a remarkable one for DSD. With the staff’s full dedication, DSD has overcome every challenge encountered and is always ready for the future challenges.
We continued to serve the public with high quality services and have received a number of awards during the year. We are most honoured to share with you the year’s highlights in this chapter.
Flood Prevention
Elimination of Two Flooding Blackspots
In the annual review of early 2014, we evaluated the effectiveness of the completed drainage improvement works and further eliminated two flooding blackspots at Shek Tsai Leng/Kwu Tung and Ko Po/Kan Tau Tsuen/Kwan Tei in North District, reducing the total number of flooding blackspots from 13 to 11.
Total number of Flooding Blackspots in the Past 20 Years
We continue and endeavour to tackle the remaining 11 flooding blackspots. Among these flooding blackspots, the drainage improvement works for four of them have been commissioned and their effectiveness is being monitored. The drainage improvement works for the remaining seven flooding blackspots are under construction, planning and design. While we will keep close monitoring of these locations during the wet season, we would try our best to remove the remaining flooding blackspots as soon as possible.
Emergency Preparedness
DSD colleagues always remain vigilant and diligently perform their duties. They stay well prepared to tackle any flooding emergencies. On 22 May 2013, the Black Rainstorm Warning of the second longest duration ever recorded in Hong Kong was issued and rainfall of more than 150 millimetre per hour was recorded in many places over the territory. With DSD’s territory-wide flood prevention projects completed, there was no severe regional flooding though some incidents of local flooding still occurred. The Secretary for Development, Mr. CHAN Mo-po happened to visit DSD on 20 May 2013, and subsequently wrote on his blog about DSD’s work expressing his appreciation of DSD staff’s outstanding service all along.
DSD Direct Labour Force working diligently under adverse weather
On 22 September 2013, the Chief Executive Mr. LEUNG Chun-ying visited DSD’s Emergency Control Centre in West Kowloon, to understand its operation in response to Typhoon Usagi’s threat. He appreciated DSD colleagues’ contributions under inclement weather conditions to protect the city and minimize the impact on the public.
The Chief Executive Mr. LEUNG Chun-ying visited DSD’s Emergency Control Centre
Opening of Butterfly Valley Road Pet Garden
The Butterfly Valley Road Pet Garden, which was built on top of the Lai Chi Kok Drainage Tunnel’s stilling basin, has been opened for the public’s enjoyment in March 2014. The area was originally reserved as the maintenance area. For the sake of better and more effective land use, DSD and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department joined hands to transform the land into Kowloon’s largest pet garden, with an area of 7,000 square metres.
Butterfly Valley Road Pet Garden
Commissioning of Drainage Improvement Works in Shuen Wan, Tai Po
To alleviate the flooding risk of the two flooding blackspots in Shuen Wan of Tai Po, we completed the drainage improvement works thereat and commissioned the new stormwater pumping station in March 2014. Together with about 1.2 kilometre long box culvert newly laid along Tung Tsz Road, the pumping station helps timely transfer runoff from the catchment to the sea during heavy rainstorms. With the joint efforts of our staff and our contractor, the drainage improvement works was completed smoothly, and we had developed mutual trust and understanding with the villagers and green groups.
While aiming at alleviating the flooding risk, we also promote environmental conservation in our works. In this project, we took the opportunity to engineer a piece of wetland of 0.8 hectare to provide a wetland habitat for local species and uplifting ecological value of the area. Under the project, we have successfully transplanted three individuals of Pavetta hongkongensis, a protected species under law, to the engineered wetland.
Engineered Wetland in Shuen Wan, Tai Po
DSD Research & Development Forum 2013
Since 2006, DSD has hosted the R&D Forum every year to foster collaboration within the water sector and promote innovations in sustainable drainage and sewerage systems. DSD R&D Forum 2013 took place at the Hong Kong Central Library and comprises four half-day sessions on following topics:
(i) Sustainable Drainage (20 November);
(ii) New Engineering Contract (28 November);
(iii) Greening (3 December); and
(iv) Wastewater Treatment (5 December).
DSD R&D Forum 2013
