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Cleaning up Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour is important for
the protection of public health, for the marine environment, and to help
realize the vision for sustaining Hong Kong as one of the world's great
cities. The Harbour is the heart of the city, with some 65% of the population
living in the surrounding areas.
The Government is committed to protecting and restoring this unique marine
environment.
Victoria Harbour is not only a dramatic and beautiful feature of Hong
Kong's cityscape, it is arguably our most precious natural asset.
It is a major feature of our brand identity, our heritage and our legacy;
tourists are attracted to our spectacular harbourside location; it has
brought, and continues to bring, inestimable economic benefits; it lends
distinction, charm and contrast to the hectic pace of our city life, and
it is a source of pride to the majority of our citizens.
While industrial activities in the Harbour area are declining, more people
are coming to work in the main urban area, major restaurants and entertainments
are to be found there, and it is one of the world's greatest centres of
shipping activity. However the natural capacity of the Harbour waters
to absorb the wastes put into them has long been exceeded.
Our growing population has obvious ramifications for the provision of
an appropriate sewage infrastructure and levels of treatment.
We must bear in mind that our population is now over 6.9 million and it
is still growing. Also, we attracted over 28 million visitors in 2007.
The HATS project has had the benefit of assessment and advice from some
of the world's leading experts in sewage treatment and infrastructure
and is designed to provide for the continued slow rise in sewage volume
from our growing population.
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Commissioning of the major treatment
works at Stonecutters Island in 1997 helped to stabilize the situation
in the Harbour.
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Water quality in
the Harbour substantially improved since the beginning of 2002,
due to the full commissioning of Stage 1.
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HATS has brought together the experience
and expertise of both local and international contractors, giving
Hong Kong a sewage treatment infrastructure that is truly world-class.
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Upon completion of the entire Harbour Area Treatment Scheme,
all sewage generated from the main urban areas on both sides of the Harbour
will receive adequate treatment and progressive, long-term improvement
in the water quality of the Harbour will have been secured.
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