The Drainage Services Department (DSD) held the Annual Media Briefing on 27 March to brief the media about the latest situation of DSD’s work on flood prevention.

Since its establishment in 1989, DSD has eliminated a total of 120 flooding blackspots in Hong Kong, and all major flooding blackspots have been removed since 2010. Director of Drainage Services, Mr Daniel Chung Kum-wah, told the media that following a review in early-2014, the number of flooding blackspots has been reduced to 11 as two more flooding blackspots have been eliminated, namely, (1) Shek Tsai Leng, Kwu Tung in North District, and (2) Ko Po, Kan Tau Tsuen, Kwan Tei in North District. As the drainage improvement works for 4 flooding blackspots have been completed, relevant blackspots will be timely removed after performance verification of the works. The improvement works for 2 others are also in progress; while stage 1 of the improvement works of the remaining 5 has been completed, and the planning and design work for next stage is underway.

Mr. Chung introduced to the media on the department's innovative flood prevention scheme by interception. Drainage tunnels and intakes are constructed to intercept rainwater from the upstream catchment of the urban area and discharge it to the sea directly, thus reducing the burden on the existing drainage system in the downstream urban areas. With the commissioning of the Hong Kong West Drainage Tunnel, the Lai Chi Kok Drainage Tunnel and the Tsuen Wan Drainage Tunnel in 2012 and 2013, the flood protection level of Sheung Wan, Central, Admiralty, Wan Chai and Happy Valley, Lai Chi Kok, Cheung Sha Wan and Sham Shui Po as well as Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung districts have been significantly increased. Mr. Chung also introduced the on-going projects such as Kai Tak River Improvement Works, Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Scheme and Shenzhen River Regulation Project Stage IV.

From 1989 to 2013, the Government has completed a series of major flood prevention works at a cost of about $23.9 billion while planning, design and construction of major flood prevention works with a total estimated cost of about $12 billion are being carried out. Mr. Chung added that the department would conduct review studies for the drainage master plans of different districts to ensure the adequacy of existing drainage systems, and to update and formulate flood prevention strategies to tie in with the latest land development, land use proposals as well as effects of climate change. He concluded the briefing by reminding the public to keep up to date about weather conditions and the danger of river flooding.

After the briefing, a guided tour to Lai Chi Kok Drainage Tunnel and the Butterfly Valley Road Pet Garden at the roof deck of the stilling basin was arranged for the media.