Engaging the Community

Community Engagement Activities

Exhibition at Innovation Carnival

Together with four other government departments, our Department participated in the Innovation Carnival held at the Science Park in November 2012. We exhibited our Shatin Sewage Treatment Works Vertical Greening Study and Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Scheme, which drew keen interest from the visiting public.

"Kaleidoscopic Cavern" Display at Hong Kong Flower Show

During the Hong Kong Flower Show 2013 organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at Victoria Park in March 2013, we provided a glamorous horticultural display with a theme of "Kaleidoscopic Cavern" to introduce the feasibility study on relocation of Shatin Sewage Treatment Works to caverns. It was the second time that we participated in this event and our display this year was awarded the Gold Award for Design Excellence under Landscape Display category.

Group Visiting to Sewage Treatment Works, Information Centre and Tai Hang Tung Stormwater Storage Scheme

We have arranged visits for schools and other organisations to enhance public understanding of the importance of flood prevention and sewage treatment. Over the year, we received more than 3,300 visitors from schools, green groups, commercial and non-commercial organisations in the Mainland and overseas to our Tai Hang Tung Stormwater Storage Scheme as well as major sewage treatment works and information centres.

Outreaching Educational Programme

Students are the future leaders of our society. Our Public Relations Unit runs an outreaching educational programme every year by visiting schools to introduce our work on flood prevention and sewage treatment. This year we visited 39 schools and received very positive comment from them stating that the programme was very informative and inspiring for the participants.

Media Briefing and Interviews

Similar to previous years, media briefings and interviews were arranged regularly to keep the public updated on our work and recent developments. The interviews and the subsequent news reports covered a wide range of topics, from ecological and greening measures, Kai Tak River Improvement Works to stormwater management in Hong Kong. Some of the media briefings, interviews, visits and luncheons conducted during the year are highlighted below.

• Deputy Director of Drainage Services, Mr. Tsui Wai, was interviewed by the media on the study of green roof at Shatin Sewage Treatment Works.

• We were invited by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) to assist in the production of a new feature TV programme named "The Role of Engineers in Hong Kong". The TV programme, consisting of five episodes in total, featured our engineer Mr. CL Leung who was responsible for the construction of "Sheung Wan Stormwater Pumping Station" project in Episode 1, and Ms Angela Yan who was Resident Engineer for the construction of "Hong Kong West Drainage Tunnel" project in Episode 2. Through the broadcast of the two episodes, the public acquired a deeper understanding of our work.

• A media briefing was held on 26 July 2012 to introduce the first female Blasting Competent Supervisor (BCS), Ir Edith Sia, who works in the deepest sewage tunnel in Hong Kong. In the media briefing, Ir Sia briefed the media on the project information and shared her experience and feeling of being the first female BCS working inside the deepest tunnel in Hong Kong. She also accompanied the media to visit the deepest section of tunnel at North Point. The media briefing attracted over 40 visitors from different media organisations and the story of Ir Sia was widely reported in the TV's news reports and newspapers.

• On 5 September 2012, media covered the contract signing ceremony for our major works of the "Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Scheme", the biggest New Engineering Contract (NEC) project ever awarded by the Government, marking a new milestone in the development of the flood prevention project for the Wan Chai and Happy Valley districts. Reporters were briefed on the planning, design and construction of the scheme after the ceremony.

• On 8 November 2012, at a media visit to the Stanley Sewage Treatment Works (STW), Hong Kong's first sewage treatment works built in caverns, our Chief Engineer (Sewerage Projects), Mr. Lai Cheuk-ho, and Chief Engineer (Sewage Treatment), Mr. Lo Kin-hung, talked about the Stanley STW and overseas examples of STW in caverns and elaborated on how these successful experiences apply in the context of Hong Kong. They also invited the public to participate in and provide comments on the Stage 1 Public Engagement activities launched in November 2012 for the "Feasibility Study on Relocation of Shatin Sewage Treatment Works to Caverns".

• On 3 January 2013, we arranged a visit to Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works (SCISTW), our Chief Engineer (HATS), Mr. Henry Chau Kwok-ming introduced the latest development of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) Stage 2A and took media representatives to see the existing pumping station, the new pumping station and other upgrading works.

• A media briefing on "DSD conducts carbon audits in support of reducing greenhouse gas emission" was held on 5 February 2013 to introduce our carbon audit scheme and its effectiveness. Carbon reduction facilities at Shatin Sewage Treatment Works were also shown to the media.

• On 26 March 2013, Director of Drainage Services, Mr. Chan Chi-chiu updated the media on the latest flood prevention measures and the related works over a luncheon, during which views from both sides were exchanged. Subsequent to the luncheon, we arranged a site visit to Kai Tak River Improvement Works (Upstream Portion) to media. Media were briefed on the flood prevention measures, temporary traffic arrangement as well as beautification works of the project.