Drainage Services Department

DSD Annual Media Briefing 2023

DSD’s Annual Media Briefing was held on 30 March to brief the media the new technologies adopted by DSD to tackle potential flooding risks and to showcase how DSD put into practice the concept of “Rivers in the City” and its achievements. The media was also led to visit the work sites of the “Revitalization of Tsui Ping River” and “Enhancement Works for Kwun Tong Sewage Pumping Station” projects.

Ms Alice PANG, the Director of Drainage Services, mentioned at the briefing that the new technologies adopted could help with prioritizing flooding cases to ensure resources are effectively utilized, which is especially important in addressing the increasing flood risks caused by climate change. In addition to installing a number of "Smart Drainage Monitoring Sensors", such as gauging stations and water level sensors, in the territory to strengthen control of our drainage system by collecting real-time data, DSD also keeps the drainage system clear by introducing some remotely operated robots with different functions in accordance with the needs of different environment conditions to assist the desilting works in rivers or box culverts.

Besides, DSD hopes that the function of rivers will no longer be limited to flood prevention, but also be a quality public space to connect the citizens and the community. DSD therefore has been proactively putting the concept of “Rivers in the City” into practice to encourage a water-friendly culture through various people-oriented and ecology and landscape enhancement designs, including beautification of the environment, provision of featured leisure facilities and construction of engineered wetland etc. Meanwhile, an array of technologies like the intelligent water gate, the "Smart Riverside Management System" and the drone fleet are adopted to assist the management and maintenance of rivers, with a hope that the vision of allowing the public to enter the rivers could be achieved in the future.

After the briefing, Ms PANG toured the media around the works sites of the “Revitalization of Tsui Ping River” and “Enhancement Works for Kwun Tong Sewage Pumping Station” projects. DSD leverages the opportunities from the three drainage facilities improvement projects near Tsui Ping River to connect the Kwun Tong Promenade, Cha Kwo Ling Promenade and the landscaped deck at the roof of the Kwun Tong Sewage Pumping Stations, enhancing the connectivity and accessibility of the surrounding areas and thereby drawing visitors and bringing vitality to Kowloon East.

The Director of Drainage Services, Ms Alice PANG, briefed the media on the development of DSD in new technologies and “Rivers in the City”

Ms PANG introduced the cross river walkway of Tsui Ping River behind. Citizens can access the Cha Kwo Ling Promenade from the Kwun Tong Promenade through this walkway in the future

Ms PANG (left) led the media to visit the Kwun Tong Sewage Pumping Station and introduced the remotely operated desilting robot adopted by DSD

Ms PANG (right) took a photo with the statues of DSD’s KOL “Drainy” at the upcoming Cha Kwo Ling Promenade