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Drainage Services Department

The latest news and top stories on the Drainage Services Department. A prominent Hong Kong-based governmental body, the Drainage Services Department (DSD) is dedicated to providing world-class wastewater and stormwater drainage services, preventing flooding and ensuring public safety. Its main areas of focus include sewage collection, treatment and flood prevention through major infrastructure projects like drainage tunnels and smart drainage systems. Established in 1989, DSD is recognised for its commitment to sustainable development, environmental management and significant contributions to Hong Kong’s urban resilience.

A clip circulating online showed water gushing out from pipes and pouring to the ground at Hei Wah House. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong households hit by water disruption during Lunar New Year

Further repairs needed at estate in Sau Mau Ping, while supply at two other estates restored.

18 Feb 2026 - 5:54PM

US-Venezuela conflict

Letters | What US military action in Venezuela looks like to Southeast Asia

8 Jan 2026 - 11:30AM

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong water pipe leak leaves thousands of homes dry during winter solstice

21 Dec 2025 - 11:43PM

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong shuts Tsing Yi hiking trails amid links to 5 local chikungunya cases

Centre for Health Protection to undertake large-scale mosquito control on the trails after hikers test positive for the disease.

9 Dec 2025 - 7:56PM

Authorities have closed the Tsing Yi Nature Trails for large-scale mosquito control. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong society

Village in Hong Kong’s Sai Kung struggles without water for more than 10 days

Water Supplies Department says low pressure caused by pipe leak and normal supply to resume once repairs completed by end of week.

27 Nov 2025 - 8:39AM

Accidents and personal safety

Hong Kong authorities launch probe into fatal industrial accident at sewage plant

Worker was operating concrete core drilling machine when his clothing became caught and strangled him.

23 Nov 2025 - 5:35PM

Accidents and personal safety

Worker, 49, dies hours after collapsing at Hong Kong sewage treatment plant

Man was installing electric equipment in basement when colleagues found that he had collapsed.

23 Nov 2025 - 12:41AM

The man was rushed to Tseung Kwan O Hospital but later pronounced dead. Photo: Winson Wong

Hong Kong society

Hot water runs out at Hong Kong estate amid bitumen clean-up, safety fears grow

Worried Taikoo Shing residents seek to clean meters after bitumen found in drinking water, turn to bottled options.

17 Nov 2025 - 11:45PM

Accidents and personal safety

Man collapses and dies while clearing drainage channel in Hong Kong

Man was found by his sister beside one-metre-deep drain in Mong Kok alley.

5 Nov 2025 - 12:17AM

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police to expand CCTV coverage and link up with more departments

Force says coverage will be expanded to public housing estates, cross-harbour tunnels and venues hosting National Games by end of year.

19 Oct 2025 - 8:54PM

According to police, the surveillance system has aided the investigation of more than 480 cases and the arrest of over 840 individuals. Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong economy

Exclusive | Yuan boost eyed as Hong Kong’s mainland China spending hits HK$5 billion

Authorities are now exploring ways to increase mainland China payments in renminbi and expand its use.

14 Oct 2025 - 9:09AM

More than 70 per cent of the world’s offshore yuan payments are consistently processed by Hong Kong. Photo: AP

Super Typhoon Ragasa

Hongkongers urged to avoid Deep Water Bay, Repulse Bay beaches after pipe splits

Sewage pipe broke into two parts during Super Typhoon Ragasa, with authorities conducting repairs and set to test seawater samples.

26 Sep 2025 - 11:06PM

Super Typhoon Ragasa

Lessons from Ragasa lashing Hong Kong’s coastal areas must be learned: experts

City does not have special building regulations to guard against waves and floods, but planners have many ways to improve protection, they say.

25 Sep 2025 - 8:08PMvideocam

Super Typhoon Ragasa

Super Typhoon Ragasa: Hong Kong’s coastal low-lying areas hit by floodwaters

Authorities say they received 22 reports of flooding as of late afternoon.

27 Sep 2025 - 8:17AMvideocam

Homes and shops are flooded in Tai O. Photos: Eugene Lee

Super Typhoon Ragasa

Hong Kong car owners race to higher ground to escape Ragasa’s feared storm surge

Hongkongers scramble to move cars out of flood-prone areas, with coastal water levels expected to rise as high as five metres in Tolo Harbour.

23 Sep 2025 - 4:36PM

The underground car park at the Wan Tsui Shopping Centre had been closed ahead of Ragasa. Photo: Harvey Kong

Hong Kong society

Bitumen found in water supply of subsidised estate in Hong Kong’s Ma On Shan

Water Supplies Department says it has rolled out cleaning, filtration after contamination found in supply of three blocks in Kam Chun Court.

19 Sep 2025 - 7:18AM

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong invests HK$30 million in water pipe robots to detect leaks

Robots will pave the way to goal of cutting water leakage rate to below 10 per cent by 2030, department chief says.

1 Sep 2025 - 8:36PM

Hong Kong water procurement scandal

Opinion | Water scandal another blow to public trust in Hong Kong government

While it is easy to blame systemic failures, these systems were created by people who must be held accountable.

25 Aug 2025 - 9:30AMvideocam

While the government has responded more quickly to concerns over water quality this time, it still struggles to stay ahead of public confidence crises. Photo: Karma Lo

Hong Kong police

Hong Kong orders probe into procurement processes amid bottled water scandal

Lawmaker says authorities ‘flustered and panicking’ amid accusations supplier of bottled water to government offices used brand without permission.

17 Aug 2025 - 11:36PM

Hong Kong environmental issues

Hong Kong buys 3 more HK$1 million ‘water-pumping dragon’ machines

Devices to be ready for use later this week to help emergency services battle potential flooding.

12 Aug 2025 - 8:02PM

Climate change

Opinion | Dry June, wet July: climate whiplash is on Hong Kong’s doorstep

Climate change fuelling extreme weather is no longer a future we must prepare for. It’s happening now and Hong Kong must pull out all the stops.

10 Aug 2025 - 6:30AMvideocam

A cyclist moves through a flooded pedestrian tunnel in Tseung Kwan O district on August 5. Parts of Hong Kong were brought to a standstill by flooding caused by heavy rains on August 5, after the highest-tier rainstorm warning was issued for the fourth time in eight days. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong weather

Hong Kong Observatory to enhance AI models after record-breaking downpours

Forecaster pledges to invest in improving artificial intelligence models that predicted development of torrential rainband a week in advance.

8 Aug 2025 - 7:53PM

Tuesday saw the city hit by the highest daily rainfall for August since records began in 1884. Photo: Karma Lo

Hong Kong weather

Opinion | Why black rain days herald more than stormy weather for Hong Kong

Recent days of heavy rainfall show the kind of weather Hong Kong must prepare for in an era of accelerating climate change.

7 Aug 2025 - 8:44AMvideocam

Hong Kong weather

Record-breaking rainstorm in Hong Kong wreaks havoc with 11-hour black signal

Highest daily rainfall in August on record causes flooding, landslides and disruption to public services.

6 Aug 2025 - 2:43PMvideocam

Hong Kong weather

Explainer | Hong Kong bombarded with scores of rainstorm warnings over past few days. Why?

The Observatory issued its second-longest black signal on Tuesday, after warnings sent out at all hours in recent days.

6 Aug 2025 - 2:21PM

People brave the rain amid a black rainstorm warning on Tuesday. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong weather

Hong Kong deploys 3 robotic ‘water-pumping dragons’ to drain 24 floods

Multiple robots deployed across the city to drain flooded locations on day when Observatory records heaviest daily rainfall for August since 1884.

5 Aug 2025 - 8:49PM

A robot used to drain flood water at an outdoor car park in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong weather

Heavy rain puts damper on Hong Kong school graduations as classes suspended

Observatory cancels all rainstorm warnings at 8pm but says weather will remain unstable.

11 Jul 2025 - 12:03AM

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Drainage Services Department

Hong Kong households hit by water disruption during Lunar New Year

Further repairs needed at estate in Sau Mau Ping, while supply at two other estates restored.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | What US military action in Venezuela looks like to Southeast Asia

Hong Kong water pipe leak leaves thousands of homes dry during winter solstice

Hong Kong shuts Tsing Yi hiking trails amid links to 5 local chikungunya cases

Centre for Health Protection to undertake large-scale mosquito control on the trails after hikers test positive for the disease.

Village in Hong Kong’s Sai Kung struggles without water for more than 10 days

Water Supplies Department says low pressure caused by pipe leak and normal supply to resume once repairs completed by end of week.

Hong Kong authorities launch probe into fatal industrial accident at sewage plant

Worker was operating concrete core drilling machine when his clothing became caught and strangled him.

Worker, 49, dies hours after collapsing at Hong Kong sewage treatment plant

Man was installing electric equipment in basement when colleagues found that he had collapsed.

Hot water runs out at Hong Kong estate amid bitumen clean-up, safety fears grow

Worried Taikoo Shing residents seek to clean meters after bitumen found in drinking water, turn to bottled options.

Man collapses and dies while clearing drainage channel in Hong Kong

Man was found by his sister beside one-metre-deep drain in Mong Kok alley.

Hong Kong police to expand CCTV coverage and link up with more departments

Force says coverage will be expanded to public housing estates, cross-harbour tunnels and venues hosting National Games by end of year.

Exclusive | Yuan boost eyed as Hong Kong’s mainland China spending hits HK$5 billion

Authorities are now exploring ways to increase mainland China payments in renminbi and expand its use.

Hongkongers urged to avoid Deep Water Bay, Repulse Bay beaches after pipe splits

Sewage pipe broke into two parts during Super Typhoon Ragasa, with authorities conducting repairs and set to test seawater samples.

Lessons from Ragasa lashing Hong Kong’s coastal areas must be learned: experts

City does not have special building regulations to guard against waves and floods, but planners have many ways to improve protection, they say.

Super Typhoon Ragasa: Hong Kong’s coastal low-lying areas hit by floodwaters

Authorities say they received 22 reports of flooding as of late afternoon.

Hong Kong car owners race to higher ground to escape Ragasa’s feared storm surge

Hongkongers scramble to move cars out of flood-prone areas, with coastal water levels expected to rise as high as five metres in Tolo Harbour.

Bitumen found in water supply of subsidised estate in Hong Kong’s Ma On Shan

Water Supplies Department says it has rolled out cleaning, filtration after contamination found in supply of three blocks in Kam Chun Court.

Hong Kong invests HK$30 million in water pipe robots to detect leaks

Robots will pave the way to goal of cutting water leakage rate to below 10 per cent by 2030, department chief says.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Water scandal another blow to public trust in Hong Kong government

While it is easy to blame systemic failures, these systems were created by people who must be held accountable.

Hong Kong orders probe into procurement processes amid bottled water scandal

Lawmaker says authorities ‘flustered and panicking’ amid accusations supplier of bottled water to government offices used brand without permission.

Hong Kong buys 3 more HK$1 million ‘water-pumping dragon’ machines

Devices to be ready for use later this week to help emergency services battle potential flooding.

Opinion | Dry June, wet July: climate whiplash is on Hong Kong’s doorstep

Climate change fuelling extreme weather is no longer a future we must prepare for. It’s happening now and Hong Kong must pull out all the stops.

Hong Kong Observatory to enhance AI models after record-breaking downpours

Forecaster pledges to invest in improving artificial intelligence models that predicted development of torrential rainband a week in advance.

Opinion | Why black rain days herald more than stormy weather for Hong Kong

Recent days of heavy rainfall show the kind of weather Hong Kong must prepare for in an era of accelerating climate change.

Record-breaking rainstorm in Hong Kong wreaks havoc with 11-hour black signal

Highest daily rainfall in August on record causes flooding, landslides and disruption to public services.

Explainer | Hong Kong bombarded with scores of rainstorm warnings over past few days. Why?

The Observatory issued its second-longest black signal on Tuesday, after warnings sent out at all hours in recent days.

Hong Kong deploys 3 robotic ‘water-pumping dragons’ to drain 24 floods

Multiple robots deployed across the city to drain flooded locations on day when Observatory records heaviest daily rainfall for August since 1884.

Heavy rain puts damper on Hong Kong school graduations as classes suspended

Observatory cancels all rainstorm warnings at 8pm but says weather will remain unstable.

Letters | What US military action in Venezuela looks like to Southeast Asia

Opinion | Water scandal another blow to public trust in Hong Kong government