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We
wholeheartedly support the application of the polluter pays
principle to sewage treatment, in particular to the treatment of
harbour sewage under the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS).
However, we feel that all harbour sewage should be given secondary
(biological) treatment, as was recommended by the
government-appointed International Review Panel of sewage experts (IRP),
and as is the norm in developed countries. Effluent standards in
China are now higher than in Hong Kong, and all sewage must now be
given at least secondary and in some cases tertiary treatment.
Chinese cities (including our neighbours Macau and Shenzhen) are
investing in expensive secondary and tertiary sewage treatment
schemes. What excuse do we have as China’s most advanced city to
make do with second-best and fall short of worldwide best practice?
Hong Kong deserves, and can afford, world-class sewage treatment.
We are therefore disappointed that the government will only commit
to primary treatment for harbour sewage in Stage 2A of HATS.
(Secondary treatment will only come in Stage 2B.)
Since the IRP recommendation in 2000 that all harbour sewage should
be given secondary treatment, the government has done virtually
nothing in the intervening seven years on the key issue of
identifying and setting aside the additional land on Stonecutters
Island necessary for the secondary sewage treatment plant. This
inaction casts doubt on the government’s good faith and begs the
question whether it is truly committed to secondary treatment.
Government is now seeking Legco approval for a 10-year schedule of
sewage charge increases, in return for which it will bear the
capital costs of Stage 2A, which provides primary treatment only. We
oppose to the chlorine disinfection treatment that is being proposed
as part of Stage 2A, as being potentially harmful to the marine
environment and of little additional sewage treatment benefit.
As for future secondary treatment in HATS Stage 2B, the government
will make no commitment apart from a statement that it will “conduct
a comprehensive review of the optimal timing of implementing HATS 2B
in 2010/11”. To our disappointment, the Government does not commit
to a more responsible course of action in biological treatment in
Stage 2B.
Legislator, Hon. Audrey Eu Yuet-mee has now moved an amendment to
give the government a four-year schedule of sewage charge increases
only. This four-year period is timed to coincide with government’s
promised review in 2010/2011. After four years, government must
return to Legco for further funding, which will be granted in return
for clear progress towards Stage 2B and the result of its own report
card.
We support amendments to affirm the polluter pays principle, and
urge the legislators to take responsibility to exercise Legco’s
powers to hold government to account for the commitments that it has
made. |
