Villagers in a notorious flood black spot should be protected from costly rain damage this year following work to realign the Shenzhen River.
The first $300 million phase of the three-stage project to widen and deepen the river began last May and will take two years.
But government engineers said they expected significant improvements in the low lying areas around Lowu during this year's rainy season.
Phase one involves the realignment of 17 kilometres at Lok Ma Chau and at Lowu, where the River Indus joins the Shenzhen.
Chief drainage engineer Raymond Cheung Tat-kwing said: 'The river is very bad here because it's narrow and meanders a lot.
'Although the project is not fully completed there will be improvements to villages near Lowu where the Indus flows in.' Inhabitants in Nam Bin Wai near Yuen Long will also be spared flood damage following the building of a pumping station and protective dyke around the village.