Following is a question by the Hon Chan Wai-yip, Albert and an oral reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (June 11) :-
Question:
Some of the domestic sewage from villages in the New Territories is treated by private treatment facilities such as septic tanks and soakaway systems, rather than by sewage treatment plants via communal sewer. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the respective numbers of inspections conducted by the relevant department last year on private treatment facilities and orders issued to or prosecutions instituted against households that had failed to treat the sewage properly and caused pollution to the environment, and the outcome of these orders and prosecutions; and
(b) the measures to ensure proper checking and maintenance of these private treatment facilities to prevent pollution of the environment and the breeding of mosquitoes and pests?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) At present, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) conducts inspections in the territory daily to enforce environmental legislation and to look into complaints received from the public. In view of the environmental problems that may be caused by the overflow of sewage from private treatment facilities (such as septic tanks and soakaway systems) of village houses in the New Territories, EPD conducted over 670 special inspections in 2002. During the inspections, EPD staff examined carefully the operations and maintenance of these treatment facilities. Depending on the results, they would give verbal guidance or advice to the owners, request them to rectify the irregularities or, where necessary, replace the entire facilities. During the year, a total of six written warnings were issued against the more serious cases. Should the problem persist after the warning, EPD would initiate prosecutions in accordance with the Water Pollution Control Ordinance. In 2002, six persons were convicted and ordered to pay a fine ranging from $2,000 to $15,000.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) also handles complaints about nuisances caused by the overflow or the odour from private septic tanks. In 2002, FEHD issued a total of 9 nuisance notices in respect of such complaints.
(b) In addition to the above enforcement action, EPD has over the years provided detailed guidance notes on the installation, operation and maintenance of private septic tanks for village houses. By referring to such guidance notes, villagers can install septic tank systems that are most appropriate to the size of their houses, the topographical characteristics and the environment of the sites. EPD also requests owners of such tanks to ensure that their facilities are subject to regular inspection and maintenance, so that sewage would not be discharged untreated into rivers or Hong Kong waters. The Department has also made available another set of guidance notes in respect of the design of appropriate septic tanks and soakaway systems, for reference by works agents responsible for the design and installation of such facilities.
To prevent the breeding of mosquitoes, staff of the pest control section of FEHD inspect private septic tanks in villages regularly. They will remind owners to ensure that the manholes of septic tanks are properly covered and that vent pipes are properly fitted with anti-mosquito nets.
End/Wednesday, June 11, 2003