I REFER to the letter from the Green Lantau Association (South China Morning Post, August 26).
The sewage treatment plant under complaint (at Ma Po Ping Prison/Tong Fuk Centre) is currently operated by the Drainage Services Department (DSD) and licensed by the Environmental Protection Department under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance. While the legislative provisions do not allow us to take court proceedings against the government-operated facility, the legislation still applies the same control standards to the Government.
Since the full commissioning of the sewage treatment plant in April 1992, EPD has regularly monitored the effluent quality, and we have warned DSD on four occasions for non-compliance with the licence conditions. DSD is required to implement both short-term and longer-term remedial measure, and has already taken positive action in liaison with the Architectural Services Department (ASD) to rectify the problem. A similar course of action would have been taken had the plant been owned and operated by the private sector.
Regarding the release of information on the environment, EPD has been publishing monthly data on the air and beach water quality, as well as annual reports on the river and marine water quality.
In this particular case, as explained to Mr Fabian Pedrazzini of the Green Lantau Association at a recent site meeting, it is inappropriate to release the effluent quality data of the sewage treatment plant since the Government is considering contractuallegal action against the contractor responsible for the plant construction.
PATRICK C. K. LEI Ag Assistant Director (Local Control) for Director of Environmental Protection
