hkskyline
October 27th, 2005, 09:38 PM
Pilot plant could provide new source of water
Hong Kong took a tiny but significant step towards weaning itself off its reliance on water from Guangdong
Mimi Lau
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, October 28, 2005
Hong Kong took a tiny but significant step towards weaning itself off its reliance on water from Guangdong.
A new desalination plant that will be able to produce water 50 percent cheaper than conventional plants will be online soon to ease the territory's thirst in times of difficulties, the Water Supplies Department said. Assistant director Bobby Ng unveiled off the Tuen Mun pilot desalination plant to reporters Thursday.
At present 80 percent of the SAR's water comes from Guangdong province's Dong Jiang, or East River, at an annual cost of about HK$2.5 billion.
Hong Kong consumed 955 million cubic meters of water last year.
Senior engineer Suen Kwok-keung said the pilot plant will provide preliminary results for the development of new water resources. "It could be a new source of fresh water for Hong Kong in the long term," Suen said.
"Pressure from the Peal River Delta's rapid industrial development and drought can affect the stability of Hong Kong's water supply in the long term, this [advanced ultrafiltration method] could maintain our fresh water supply in a sustainable manner."
The plant is part of a HK$10 million project that began in 2003 and is expected to be completed by early 2007. However, the government said it does not expect the full plant to be operational for at least 20 years.
Hong Kong took a tiny but significant step towards weaning itself off its reliance on water from Guangdong
Mimi Lau
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, October 28, 2005
Hong Kong took a tiny but significant step towards weaning itself off its reliance on water from Guangdong.
A new desalination plant that will be able to produce water 50 percent cheaper than conventional plants will be online soon to ease the territory's thirst in times of difficulties, the Water Supplies Department said. Assistant director Bobby Ng unveiled off the Tuen Mun pilot desalination plant to reporters Thursday.
At present 80 percent of the SAR's water comes from Guangdong province's Dong Jiang, or East River, at an annual cost of about HK$2.5 billion.
Hong Kong consumed 955 million cubic meters of water last year.
Senior engineer Suen Kwok-keung said the pilot plant will provide preliminary results for the development of new water resources. "It could be a new source of fresh water for Hong Kong in the long term," Suen said.
"Pressure from the Peal River Delta's rapid industrial development and drought can affect the stability of Hong Kong's water supply in the long term, this [advanced ultrafiltration method] could maintain our fresh water supply in a sustainable manner."
The plant is part of a HK$10 million project that began in 2003 and is expected to be completed by early 2007. However, the government said it does not expect the full plant to be operational for at least 20 years.