Contracts awarded for Harbour Area Treatment Scheme Stage 2A (30/07/2009)

The Drainage Services Department (DSD) today (July 30) awarded two contracts with a total value of about $6.3 billion for constructing a sewage conveyance system from North Point in the east and Aberdeen in the west to Stonecutters Island.

     This marks a major milestone in the implementation of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) Stage 2A.

     Speaking at the contract signing ceremony, the Director of Drainage Services, Mr K K Lau, said these two construction contracts were among the most important components of HATS Stage 2A. HATS is a major sewerage infrastructure project in Hong Kong to improve the water quality of Victoria Harbour. 

     The commissioning of HATS Stage 1 in late 2001 provided treatment to about 75% of sewage discharged into Victoria Harbour, and has brought significant improvement to the water quality of the eastern and central part of the harbour.

     “HATS Stage 2A will collect the remaining 25% of sewage generated from northern and southwestern Hong Kong Island.  Sewage will be conveyed via deep sewerage tunnels to the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works for treatment.  The water quality of the harbour will be further improved after the commissioning of HATS Stage 2A,” Mr Lau said.

     “Stage 2A sewage conveyance system extends through both residential and commercial districts.  The purpose of choosing a deep tunnel form of sewage conveyance system is to avoid excavation on busy roads and thus minimise disturbance to the public.

     “Complicated geological conditions are expected deep underground.  The project is going to be a real engineering challenge for us,” he said.

     The two sewage conveyance system contracts comprise the construction of approximately 19.5 kilometres of sewerage tunnels with a maximum diameter of three metres.  The depth of the tunnels varies from about 70 metres to 160 metres below sea level.  Vertical shafts will also be constructed to provide access for construction and, finally, inlet points along the way.

     The contracts will begin tomorrow (July 31) for completion in 2014.  Upon commissioning, the sewage conveyance system will serve about one million people on Hong Kong Island.  

Ends/Thursday, July 30, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:21