Water As A Human Right? – Water Scarcity & Water Privatisation
Water scarcity has grown to be an alarming issue in current global affairs.
In 2011, 41 states around the globe have experienced some kind of water stress whilst 10 of those countries were close to depleting their supply of renewable fresh water.
Lack of access to safe, sufficient and affordable water sources has a detrimental effect on the health, dignity and prosperity of billions of people.
Seeing the significance of the aforementioned, the United Nations recognised water as a human right and thus a common public and environmental good, not longer than a decade ago.
It is often opposed by those who view water as a commodity which has to be priced to be used in an an efficient and sustainable way.
Unfortunately, water services are no exception.
In the latest decades, water privatisation has become a new opportunity for lucrative investment.
Willem Buiter, Citigroup's top economist, emphasised 'the water market will soon eclipse oil'.
The 'new water barons' — the Wall Street mega-banks and billionaire tycoons— are buying up water all over the world at an unprecedented pace.
Anti-water privatisation campaigns and protests have occurred all around the world.
Can Hong Kong now expect a bolder push to reduce waste under Carrie Lam's government?
It seems a good start for Hong Kong.
So we should expect Wong Kam-sing, whom Lam reappointed as secretary for the environment, to make good on her pledge.
The public needs to hear from him what innovative measures he is proposing to address our critical environmental problems.
Twenty years after the handover, some environmental problems in Hong Kong, such as air and water pollution, have seen improvements.
But others have become worse.
Meanwhile, the recycling rate of our municipal solid waste climbed from 33 per cent in 1997 to 52 per cent in 2010, only to fall back to 35 per cent in 2015.
The decline in recycling rates for plastic waste is even more disappointing.
Waste management has been a perennial challenge for the Hong Kong government.
Since the handover, successive administrations have rolled out three plans: the Waste Reduction Framework Plan (1998-2007); A Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste in Hong Kong (2005-2014); and the 2013 blueprint, which is to last until 2022.
We now expect Wong to be innovative and bold, as promised by the chief executive, to rectify the omissions of the past and resolve Hong Kong's critical waste problems.
Hong Kong needs a sense of urgency to tackle water scarcity
Hong Kong needs a sense of urgency to tackle water scarcity.
Indeed, it has been estimated that 25-39 per cent of the world's population now live in watersheds exposed to scarcity.
Although neither Hong Kong nor neighbouring cities in the Pearl River Delta feel exposed to the water deficit experienced by much of mainland China, we should not be complacent.
Emphasising this, a recent ADM Capital Foundation and Civic Exchange report, The Illusion of Plenty , illustrates the mounting pressure on water supplies in the Pearl River Delta as a consequence of disrupted climate, pollution from aggressive industrial expansion and growing populations.
Yet, there has been little progress in reducing local demand or diversifying Hong Kong's water sources, which has no groundwater stores and relies heavily on rainwater.
Since the 1960s, the city has depended on Guangdong's Dongjiang, or East River, for up to 80 per cent of its fresh water.
The average Hongkonger consumes as much as 224 litres of water per day, according to the Water Supplies Department.
Besides tariff reform, Hong Kong must also try to reduce wastage by controlling leaks in the water system itself.
In 2015, even before Hong Kong residents received their allotments, a third of our fresh water was lost.
Despite natural scarcity and the evolving threats of climate change and increasing competition, there has been little meaningful discussion of water issues in the political arena.
Environmental Protection Officer (Water Quality Modelling) (Waste and Water Stream)
Environmental Protection Officer (Water Quality Modelling) (Waste and Water Stream).
Job Description Environmental Protection Officer (Water Quality Modelling) (Waste and Water Stream) Location: Appointments Section, Environmental Protection Department, 12/F Guardian House, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong An Environmental Protection Officer (Water Quality Modelling) (Waste and Water Stream) is mainly deployed to – (a) develop, review, maintain and apply mathematical water quality and hydrodynamic models; (b) develop and manage geographic information system on hydrology, water quality and pollution inventory; (c) evaluate and apply mathematical methods and statistical techniques in water quality and hydrologic data analyses; (d) plan and implement water quality and hydrodynamic modelling studies, investigations and surveys; (e) give advice on waste management and land or water pollution issues, and provide professional input to project assessment with regard to water quality and hydrodynamic modelling; (f) manage departmental computer facilities; (g) assist in the preparation of policy and legislative proposals and in the development of codes of practice, guidelines, procedures, standards, objectives and strategies in relation to the control of land or water pollution, and waste management and disposal; (h) plan and implement land or water pollution studies, control schemes and projects, and investigations and surveys; and (i) assist through various means, such as the preparation and presentation of educational and publicity materials, in conveying waste management and water quality management policies and strategies to the public, and to various community representatives.
Entry Requirements Candidates should have – (a) (i) a Hong Kong First or Second Class honours degree, or equivalent, in a relevant science or engineering subject, and three years' post-graduate experience at an appropriate level of responsibility relevant to waste management or water pollution, with at least one year relevant to water quality and hydrodynamic modelling; or (ii) Corporate Membership of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers of a relevant discipline (see Note (1)) elected after 5 December 1975, or equivalent, and three years' training or experience at an appropriate level of responsibility relevant to waste management or water pollution, with at least one year relevant to water quality and hydrodynamic modelling (not necessarily obtained after Membership); (b) a pass result in the Aptitude Test (AT) in the Common Recruitment Examination (CRE); and (c) met the language proficiency requirements of Level 2 in the two language papers [Use of Chinese (UC) and Use of English (UE)] in the CRE, or equivalent (See Note (2)).
Enquiry Address Appointments Section, Environmental Protection Department, 12/F Guardian House, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong Enquiry Telephone 3521 0875 Master Pay Scale Point 27 (HK$49,445 per month) to Master Pay Scale Point 44 (HK$99,205 per month) Advertising Date 26/05/2017 Closing Date(dd/mm/yyyy) 09/06/2017 23:59:00
Pillar Point Valley Restored Landfill's contractor convicted for contravening Water Pollution Control Regulations
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) received complaints last year that the flaring temperature of the landfill gas treatment facility of PPVRL had failed to reach the contractual requirement of 1 000 degrees Celsius, leading to the discharge of sub-standard leachate into the foul sewer and untreated leachate into a nearby stream.
An investigation team was subsequently set up by the EPD to conduct thorough investigation on the complaints.
A test conducted by the investigation team on-site in May 2016 found that the leachate treatment plant failed to handle leachate effectively, and was therefore required to suspend operation to conduct thorough repair works.
Regarding whether sub-standard effluent had been discharged from PPVRL, the investigation found that the leachate concentration was at relatively low levels as the landfill had been closed for many years and sometimes the leachate could meet the dry season discharge standard even without pre-treatment.
However, since the mixing of leachate could not meet the wet season discharge standard, the investigation team could not exclude the possibility that sub-standard discharge had happened given that the treatment plant could not handle the leachate effectively.
The follow-up actions taken by the EPD's enforcement team found that the discharge of the leachate treatment plant during the period from May to mid-October 2016 repeatedly contravened the requirements of the licence issued under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance.
It was found that the total nitrogen level in the discharge exceeded the specified limit in the licence on eight occasions, the amount of discharge exceeded the discharge flow limit specified in the licence on 10 occasions, and the contractor also failed to notify the EPD immediately on two occasions when the amount of discharge exceeded the discharge flow limit.
The investigation team had referred the relevant information to the Police for follow-up on whether someone had deliberately provided inaccurate data or false statements to the EPD.
As the leachate treatment plant has failed to meet the contractual requirements of treating leachate effectively, the EPD has deducted operation payments according to the contract provisions.
The EPD will continue to closely monitor the operation of PPVRL.
A spokesman for the EPD said that the department is gravely concerned about the management and monitoring by the contractors of its facilities.
The investigation findings (English only) have been uploaded to the EPD's website for public viewing (http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/studyrpts/waste_studyrpts.html" target="_blank">www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/studyrpts/waste_studyrpts.html).
Slightly larger than a fingernail and with hooked legs for mating, meet Hong Kong's first native tree-climbing crab
Slightly larger than a fingernail and with hooked legs for mating, meet Hong Kong's first native tree-climbing crab.
Marine ecologists have discovered the first tree-climbing crab native to Hong Kong.
The Haberma tingkok, slightly larger than a fingernail, was spotted last summer crawling along the branches of mangroves in Ting Kok – a coastal area facing Tolo Harbour in the New Territories.
While there are 15 to 20 other species of crabs worldwide that can climb trees, the Haberma tingkok is more closely related to two other species, sharing the unusual characteristic of hooked legs in the male – used to grasp females while mating.
The only other two known species can be found in the mangroves of Singapore and Indonesia and are not known to climb trees, preferring to live in mud.
The last discovery of an endemic mangrove crab species was in 1975.
Cannicci called the discovery "an evolutionary milestone".
Because animals in mangroves are evolving from a marine to a terrestrial system, where crabs pretend and move like insects and do strange things, " Cannicci said.
Altogether, the team has spotted around 20 of its kind in Ting Kok, where its name comes from.
Ting Kok, the third largest mangrove area in Hong Kong, is home to a rich diversity of organisms ranging from horseshoe crabs to sand snails, but does not have statutory protection.