hkskyline
February 23rd, 2006, 03:58 PM
Dreamcity residents to foot recycling bills
22 February 2006
South China Morning Post
About 22,000 households at MTR's huge Dreamcity project in Tseung Kwan O will have to pay $600,000 a month to run a wastewater-recycling system.
The system will be the first in a high-density residential development in Hong Kong.
The developer, MTR Corp, has not ruled out extending the system to other housing projects.
The development, comprising 50 blocks of 50 storeys each, will be built on the future 35-hectare site for Tseung Kwan O South station, to be completed by 2009.
Wastewater from four blocks will be collected and pumped to a treatment facility to remove nutrients and filter impurities.
The water would be used for irrigating an open area of eight hectares or for street cleaning.
It is estimated that the recycling facility could help save up to 440,000 litres of fresh water a day or 150 million litres a year.
But the savings might be offset by the additional operating costs of the facility, estimated at about $600,000 a month.
"Although it doesn't help to save much in money terms, the environmental concept is attractive. It also provides us with a reliable supply of water for irrigation," said MTR Corp property director Thomas Ho Hang-kwong.
The whole facility will cost about $10 million and will be funded by MTR Corp.
However, the running cost will be met by the 21,500 households expected to inhabit the housing complex when it is completed.
The corporation said the quality of the recycled water would meet the requirements of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
It also assured the public that the recycling facility would not affect drainage in housing units on the giant estate.
Last year the MTR gave Cheung Kong approval to build the smaller first phase of Dreamcity - 2,096 flats in five blocks with a total floor area of 1.5 million sq ft.
22 February 2006
South China Morning Post
About 22,000 households at MTR's huge Dreamcity project in Tseung Kwan O will have to pay $600,000 a month to run a wastewater-recycling system.
The system will be the first in a high-density residential development in Hong Kong.
The developer, MTR Corp, has not ruled out extending the system to other housing projects.
The development, comprising 50 blocks of 50 storeys each, will be built on the future 35-hectare site for Tseung Kwan O South station, to be completed by 2009.
Wastewater from four blocks will be collected and pumped to a treatment facility to remove nutrients and filter impurities.
The water would be used for irrigating an open area of eight hectares or for street cleaning.
It is estimated that the recycling facility could help save up to 440,000 litres of fresh water a day or 150 million litres a year.
But the savings might be offset by the additional operating costs of the facility, estimated at about $600,000 a month.
"Although it doesn't help to save much in money terms, the environmental concept is attractive. It also provides us with a reliable supply of water for irrigation," said MTR Corp property director Thomas Ho Hang-kwong.
The whole facility will cost about $10 million and will be funded by MTR Corp.
However, the running cost will be met by the 21,500 households expected to inhabit the housing complex when it is completed.
The corporation said the quality of the recycled water would meet the requirements of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
It also assured the public that the recycling facility would not affect drainage in housing units on the giant estate.
Last year the MTR gave Cheung Kong approval to build the smaller first phase of Dreamcity - 2,096 flats in five blocks with a total floor area of 1.5 million sq ft.