I refer to Brett Graham's letter headlined, 'Department disrespects transport infrastructure' (South China Morning Post, February 27).

The main-laying works in Tai Mong Tsai, Pak Tam and Hoi Ha roads by the Water Supplies Department (WSD) were carried out from May to October 1996 in sections of 50 to 100 metres of a traffic lane. In normal circumstances, we would carry out permanent reinstatement to the surface of each part of the carriageway once works in that part are completed. But in this particular case, the Highways Department had a programme to resurface the entire section of the carriageway soon after our works. The two departments had therefore come to an agreement under which the WSD would carry out temporary reinstatement section by section as an interim measure and would resurface the entire carriageway at one go upon completion of all main-laying works. This arrangement would not only achieve a better resurfacing result, but would also expedite both the main-laying and road works. Inconvenience to the public was therefore reduced to the minimum and all the works were completed in December 1996.

Throughout all these works, there was close liaison between the two departments and defects in the temporary reinstatement of the road surface were rectified once they were discovered.