Professional and Academia Engagement

DSD highly values the interaction and exchanges with the industry. During the year, apart from hosting the Research & Development (R&D) Forum 2018 (For details see Chapter 2 Highlights of the Year), we took the initiative to share the Department's work with local academics, professionals, industry representatives, other stakeholders and government departments through R&D tea gatherings and seminars. In addition, we received visitors from community groups and schools touring our facilities where we briefed them on the operation of various DSD divisions.

Technical Exchange

DSD Research & Development Tea Gathering 2018

The "DSD R&D Tea Gathering with Academia 2018" was held at Siu Ho Wan STW on 18 April with nearly 30 academics from 11 universities and research institutes in attendance.

Siu Ho Wan STW is home to the largest solar farm within Hong Kong Government facilities. During the Tea Gathering, Mr. Edwin TONG Ka-hung, then Director of Drainage Services, led the academics to tour the solar farm and shared with them the current and future directions and scope of DSD's R&D items. DSD colleagues also exchanged views with the academics on the latest applications of renewable energy and energy management strategy. This event enabled DSD and the academics to gain an insight of the work of each other and paved the way for future collaborations.

DSD visited Beijing Water Authority

Following the attendance of Beijing Water Authority (BJWA) at the forum regarding the topic of water for exchanging the policy of water supplies, flood prevention and sewage treatment between Hong Kong and Beijing, held in Hong Kong in November 2017, DSD visited BJWA and Beijing Drainage Group Co., Ltd in early June 2018 for knowledge exchange between Beijing and Hong Kong on the policy of water management and flood prevention. DSD also shared the experience on HATS which was awarded the 15th Tien-yow Jeme Civil Engineering Prize and was hosting the IWA World Water Congress in Hong Kong in 2019.

Educational Visits and Outreach

In active support of supplementing the curriculum of Liberal Studies in Hong Kong, we organise educational outreach activities regularly for local primary and secondary school students. We hope that through this flexible teaching approach, students can learn more about issues such as climate change, environmental protection and cherishing water resources.

Group Visits

During the year, we received over 13,000 visitors from primary and secondary schools as well as various mainland and overseas organisations. Tours were arranged to our facilities, including Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Tank, Siu Ho Wan STW, Lai Chi Kok Drainage Tunnel, Sha Tin STW and the engineered wetland of Yuen Long Bypass Floodway, etc.

Educational Outreach

We conduct educational outreach programmes regularly, visiting schools and introducing DSD's work and projects to students and teachers. In 2018-19, we visited 16 schools, to explain the sewage treatment and flood prevention in Hong Kong.