Establishment of new expert group on sewage disposal (15/7/1998)

An Expert Group on Sewage Disposal is to be set up to take forward discussions between Hong Kong and the mainland on options for Hong Kong's Strategic Sewage Disposal Scheme (SSDS).

The Expert Group will enable the mainland and Hong Kong to exchange information and ideas on the SSDS and seek common views on the future planning of the system for the protection of coastal waters.

The Group will hold its first meeting in Hong Kong tomorrow (Thursday). The Hong Kong team will comprise the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, the Director of Environmental Protection, the Director of Drainage Services and representatives from the Constitutional Affairs Bureau, the Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau and the Environmental Protection and Drainage Services Departments.

The mainland team will comprise the Director of the Hong Kong Economic Affairs Department, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, and Directors and representatives of the National Environmental Protection Agency, State Bureau of Oceanography and Guangdong Provincial People's Government.

Before the handover, discussion on issues related to SSDS used to be carried out at the then Expert Group on Sewage Disposal of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group (JLG). Since it had completed its assigned duties in June 1997, the work of the JLG Expert Group on Sewage Disposal was concluded, as was the involvement of the JLG in this issue.

During the first meeting, the Hong Kong team will brief the mainland team on progress with the scheme and with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study for SSDS stage II. Following the meeting, members of the mainland delegation will visit the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works, a core component of the SSDS Stage I and a starting point for construction of Stage II.

End/Wednesday, July 15, 1998