WSD calls for creative water-saving ideas (with photos)
A water conservation competition under the theme "creative water saving ideas to share with every home" has been launched by the Water Supplies Department (WSD). The WSD is hoping for a positive response from households and secondary school students.
Officiating at the launch ceremony of the competition cum World Water Monitoring Day 2011 at Ma On Shan Water Treatment Works today (September 18), the Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, said the Government had made considerable effort in creating a partnership with the public to achieve water conservation under the Total Water Management (TWM) Strategy.
"The Government has continuously invested in water infrastructure to cater for uncertainties. It has also implemented the TWM since 2008 which emphasises reducing the growth of water demand through conservation in order to promote sustainable development of the society and economy as well as to better prepare for the future," Mrs Lam said.
"The TWM strategy includes measures on management of water demands and water supply. It will explore new sources of water and at the same time promote full public participation in water conservation. The measures include enhancement of public education on water conservation, promotion of the use of water saving devices, control on water leakage, wider use of sea water for toilet flushing and to actively consider the use of reclaimed water.
"These measures have achieved good progress in implementation. We also take reference of the latest developments in management of water resources in other places of the world and adjust our individual measure with a view to enabling Hong Kong to become a good partner of neighbouring regions in protection of precious water resources," she said.
The Director of Water Supplies, Mr Ma Lee-tak, said that taking into account the experience of last year's "Water Conservation Design Competition", which was for students of tertiary education, the property management sector and the catering services industry, as well as comments from the adjudication panel, it was decided to widen the scope of competition to include households this year.
"We hope that creative water saving ideas from the participants will enhance awareness of water conservation in all sectors of the community," he said.
The competition is divided into two categories. The Open Category, "Water Smart Snapshot Contest", welcomes households to join together as a team of two to four. Participants have to submit up to three original photographs on one water-saving idea together with a brief note to explain the idea. The Secondary School Category, "Student Water Wise Challenges", is aimed at full-time secondary school students. They may join as a team of four to eight and are required to submit their water-saving idea in the form of photos, a video or a 3D model, together with a written explanation.
Participants of both categories are requested to submit their entries between October 3, 2011 and February 29, 2012. Results will be announced in June 2012.
The competition's adjudication panel comprises the Chairman of Advisory Committee on the Quality of Water Supplies, Professor Ho Kin-chung; former Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Mr Lam Chiu-ying; Managing Director and Founder of China Polar Museum Foundation Limited, Dr Rebecca Lee; and Head of Department of Journalism and Communication of Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Professor Leung Tin-wai.
To mark World Water Monitoring Day, over 100 students joined today's event at the treatment works. Under the guidance of chemists from the WSD, the students used test kits to sample the raw water quality at Ma On Shan Water Treatment Works by measuring four basic indicators - temperature, acidity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity.
World Water Monitoring Day 2011 is organised by the Hong Kong (China) Regional Committee of the International Water Association. It is the eighth time this world-wide activity has been in the territory, with the objective of enhancing the awareness and involvement of the community in protecting water quality.
More details of the competition and World Water Monitoring Day are available at the websites http://www.waterconservation.hkand www.worldwatermonitoringday.org respectively.
Ends/Sunday, September 18, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:30
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