Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2020-21 Reply Serial No. DEVB(W)055 CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY (Question Serial No. 1712) Head: (194) Water Supplies Department Subhead (No. & title): Not Specified Programme: (1) Water Supply: Planning and Distribution Controlling Officer: Director of Water Supplies (C L WONG) Director of Bureau: Secretary for Development Question: Regarding the supply of reclaimed water to the northeast New Territories (including Sheung Shui and Fanling) for non-potable purposes, will the Government please advise this Committee on: (1) the provision reserved and the estimated manpower involved for the project this year? (2) the progress, details of various work stages and estimated completion date of the project? (3) whether the Government has consulted the District Councils, Rural Committees and other villagers’ groups of the respective districts in the course of taking forward the project? If yes, what are the details? If no, what are the reasons? (4) whether the Government has assessed the impact of a judicial review proceeding, which is underway as reported by the press, on project progress? Whether any remedial measures are in place to catch up with the progress in case that the progress is affected by the legal proceeding? (5) whether the Government has studied any back-up plan to deal with the consequences brought about by an adverse judicial review ruling? If yes, what are the details? If no, what are the reasons? (6) whether the Government has assessed the impact of the project on the North East New Territories New Development Areas? Whether the intake of the first batch of residents by the Area be postponed due to a delay in project? Asked by: Hon CHAN Hak-kan (LegCo internal reference no.: 25) Reply: (1) The Water Supplies Department (WSD) will supply reclaimed water to the northeast New Territories (including Sheung Shui and Fanling which are being supplied with fresh water for flushing currently) in phases from 2022 onwards for flushing and other non-potable purposes. We are currently taking forward the associated infrastructure works. In 2020­ 21, the estimated expenditure of the relevant works is about $96 million. There are 13 staff in the WSD responsible for the implementation of the infrastructure works of reclaimed water supply, including those who oversee the consultants and contractors in carrying out the infrastructure works. The aforementioned staff members have other duties to handle as well. (2) The construction of Table Hill No. 2 Service Reservoir (Note 1), trunk water mains as well as the first stage of distribution mains in the south-western part of Sheung Shui and Fanling for the supply of reclaimed water have commenced in April 2017. The WSD will later seek funding approval from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council for the remaining infrastructures including the water reclamation facilities, a pumping station and the second stage of distribution mains in Sheung Shui and Fanling. It is expected that the works can commence in the fourth quarter of 2020. Construction works of the service reservoir, trunk water mains, water reclamation facilities and pumping station are expected to be completed by 2022 for supply of reclaimed water starting from 2022. The distribution mains will be completed in phases from 2022 to 2026. (3) Regarding the construction works of Table Hill No. 2 Service Reservoir, trunk water mains and the first stage of distribution mains in the south-western part of Sheung Shui and Fanling, the WSD consulted the District Minor Works and Environmental Improvement Committee of the North District Council on 14 September 2015 and 18 July 2016 respectively, and the relevant works were supported by the Committee. For construction works of the remaining infrastructures including the water reclamation facilities, a pumping station and the second stage of distribution mains in Sheung Shui and Fanling, we consulted the Sheung Shui District Rural Committee and the Committee on Land Development, Housing and Works of the North District Council on 3 and 16 March 2020 respectively, and we will provide them with more information about the works as requested. The WSD will consult them again between April and May 2020 on the relevant works. (4), (5) & (6) In October 2019, a villager from Tong Hang Village applied to the High Court for a judicial review on the construction works of Tong Hang No.3 Fresh Water Service Reservoir (Note 2), given that he believed the WSD failed to work according to the procedures in matters such as design and tendering, and requested the contractor to suspend the works. Currently, the date of the hearing of the judicial review is yet to be confirmed. The WSD, in fact, has taken forward the relevant works (including design and tendering) in accordance with established procedures. In addition, we consulted the Environment, Housing and Works Committee of the Tai Po District Council and the District Minor Works and Environmental Improvement Committee of the North District Council about the works on 13 and 18 July 2016 respectively and earned the support of both Committees. At present, the works are in progress as planned. The WSD will formulate contingency measures having regard to the development of the judicial review, including rearrangement of water supply network, so that the intake of the residents of new developments in the area will not be affected. Note 1: The construction of the service reservoir is expected to be completed in 2020. Prior to the supply of reclaimed water, the service reservoir will be temporarily used for supplying fresh water to Sheung Shui and Fanling area. Note 2: The service reservoir will be used for supplying fresh water to Fanling area. - End ­ Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2020-21 Reply Serial No. DEVB(W)056 CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY (Question Serial No. 1732) Head: (194) Water Supplies Department Subhead (No. & title): (000) Operational Expenses Programme: (2) Water Quality Control Controlling Officer: Director of Water Supplies (C L WONG) Director of Bureau: Secretary for Development Question: Regarding water consumption in the past 3 years in Hong Kong, would the Government inform this Committee of: a. the water consumption per year in Hong Kong and the source of drinking water supply; b. the number and results of tests on drinking water of residential units each year; c. the ratio of using fresh water for flushing; whether it will be lowered in the coming 10 years; if yes, of the details; d. the respective number of reports of fresh water main bursts and salt water main bursts in each district in each year; e. the total quantity of drinking water wasted each year; and f. the progress of the Replacement and Rehabilitation Programme for water mains? Asked by: Hon CHAN Hak-kan (LegCo internal reference no.: 45) Reply: a. The sources of fresh water supply in Hong Kong include rainwater collected from local catchments of impounding reservoirs and Dongjiang water imported from Guangdong Province. The fresh water consumptions (including consumption of fresh water for flushing) in Hong Kong in the past 3 years are tabulated below: Year Fresh water consumption (million cubic metres) 2017 980 2018 1 013 2019 996 b. In the past 3 years, the Water Supplies Department (WSD) collected over 34 000 drinking water samples at consumers’ taps (including water taps of the consumers’ premises and public accessible consumers’ taps (Note)) each year for physical, chemical, bacteriological, biological and radiological examinations. All drinking water samples are in compliance with the Hong Kong Drinking Water Standards. (Note: Public accessible consumers’ taps include water taps at shopping centres, community facilities, sports grounds, markets, government offices and estate management offices.) c. Seawater for flushing is largely adopted in Hong Kong. The supply of seawater covers about 85% of the population at present, while fresh water is used for flushing in the remaining areas. We are proactively expanding the use of lower grade water (including seawater and recycled water) for flushing to save fresh water resources. The details are as follows: We will supply reclaimed water to the northeast New Territories (including Sheung Shui and Fanling which are being supplied with fresh water for flushing currently) in phases from 2022 onwards for flushing and other non-potable purposes. In addition, we are constructing a district-based grey water (i.e. used water collected from showers, wash basins, kitchen sinks or similar installations) recycling system at the Anderson Road Quarry site development in order to treat grey water collected at the development area and supply the treated grey water for flushing and other non-potable purposes within the area. The grey water recycling system is anticipated to be commissioned in 2023. As the existing developments in Tung Chung are still being supplied with fresh water for flushing, we plan to construct a seawater flushing system which is anticipated to be completed in 2023 to replace fresh water for flushing. We will continue to review the expansion of using seawater and recycled water to other new development areas and those areas still being supplied with fresh water for flushing to further save fresh water resources. d. The numbers of cases of fresh water main burst and salt water main burst by districts in the past 3 years are tabulated below: Fresh Water Mains Salt Water Mains District 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 Central & Western 3 3 1 2 5 2 Eastern 6 4 4 6 2 2 Islands 2 2 1 0 0 0 Southern 1 4 1 1 2 2 Wan Chai 6 7 2 2 7 6 Kowloon City 1 3 0 4 6 1 Kwun Tong 0 2 0 6 4 3 Sham Shui Po 2 1 1 1 2 2 Wong Tai Sin 0 0 0 2 0 0 Yau Tsim Mong 1 2 0 3 8 0 North 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sai Kung 1 1 1 2 3 1 Sha Tin 2 2 1 4 2 0 Tai Po 1 2 1 2 1 1 Kwai Tsing 5 10 0 9 12 4 Tuen Mun 0 0 0 6 2 2 Tsuen Wan 2 0 1 2 2 0 Yuen Long 3 5 0 0 0 1 Total 36 48 14 52 58 27 e.