2.1
Cinotech Consultants Limited (Cinotech)
was commissioned by the Sun Fook Kong -Biwater Joint
Venture (hereafter called the Contractors) to undertake the baseline water
quality monitoring for the Project “HATS Stage 2A – Upgrading Works at
Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works and Preliminary Treatment Works on
Hong Kong Island ” (hereafter
referred to as “the Project”)
2.2
The Project is under the Harbour Area
Treatment Scheme (HATS) Stage 2A and is a designated project with Register No.
: AEIAR-121/2008. The current works under the Project and other Contracts at
SCISTW for HATS 2A are covered by the same Environmental Permit (Permit No.
EP-322/2008/G), which was issued
on 9th May 2014 by
the Environmental Protection Department (hereinafter called EPD) to the
Drainage Services Department (hereinafter called the DSD) as the Permit Holder.
2.3
Under the Emergency
Response Plan for Temporary Sewage Bypass and Emergency Discharge from HATS
in the EM&A manual, in the event of temporary sewage bypass or emergency discharge, daily
marine water monitoring shall be conducted at the designated monitoring
stations throughout the whole
sewage discharge period until the baseline water quality resumes after the
normal plant operation is restored. During the following monitoring event, water samples
shall be collected at both mid-flood tide and mid-ebb tide.
2.4
Case 2 and 4 of the Emergency
Response Plan covered a 2-week duration of temporary sewage bypass during dry season at SCISTW. During this period, the
effluent will be bypassed via the HATS Stage 1 PTWs. For this, a three-month
baseline monitoring programme covering the dry season
is required at a frequency of once per month to establish the baseline water
quality conditions
2.5
Under Case 1 and 3 of the Emergency
Response Plan, during the operation phase of the Project, daily marine
water monitoring shall be conducted at the designated monitoring stations in
the event of emergency discharge due to plant and power failure until the
baseline water quality has been resumed. For this, a six-month baseline
monitoring programme covering both dry and wet
seasons is required at a frequency of once per month to establish the baseline
water quality conditions.
2.6
To facilitate the two situations above, a six month baseline water
quality monitoring programme is proposed and carried
out to fulfil the EM&A requirement on the establishment of baseline
condition.
2.7
Baseline water quality monitoring was conducted from September 2017
to February 2018, once per
month for six months at all selected monitoring stations prior to the
commencement of temporary sewage bypass construction work mentioned in Sections 2.3 and 2.4.
2.8
The purpose of this
Baseline Water Quality Monitoring Report is to establish the baseline
conditions for various water quality parameters in the vicinity of the project
site. These baseline levels will be used as the basis for the impact and post-impact
monitoring. This report presents the monitoring locations, equipment, period,
methodology, results and observations for the water quality measurements during
the baseline period.