Officiating at the launch ceremony of the "Let's Save Water" Cap Design Competition cum World Water Monitoring Challenge 2012, the Secretary for Development, Mr Paul Chan, said the Government has been promoting the important water conservation message to the general public through various channels.
"A multi-pronged approach has been adopted to secure a stable fresh water supply for Hong Kong to meet the future needs. The Government is considering using reclaimed water produced by the expanded Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works for non-potable purposes in Sheung Shui, Fanling and the North East New Territories New Development Areas. We have also commissioned a consultancy study on technical standards for reuse of grey water and rainwater harvesting for non-potable uses," he added.
The Director of Water Supplies, Mr Ma Lee-tak, said that the WSD has rolled out various education campaigns in schools to promote water conservation, from conducting school talks and water audit exercises on campus, to producing teaching kits and selecting Water Conservation Ambassadors. It is hoped that young people will practise water saving in their daily life.
The theme of the cap design competition is "Save Drops for Tomorrow". Each entrant can submit a maximum of six photos of the cap he or she has designed, along with a caption or description in no more than 50 words to explain the concept. Apart from individual prizes for the Primary School and Secondary School categories, awards will be given to the top three schools with active participation. Application forms and competition details are available on the WSD website (www.wsd.gov.hk). The deadline is February 4, 2013.
The competition's adjudication panel comprises the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Water Resources and Quality of Water Supplies, Dr Chan Hon-fai; Legislative Council member Dr Lo Wai-kwok; the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, Mr Dominic Lam; and renowned fashion designer Mr William Tang, who demonstrated how to design a cap at the ceremony.
After the ceremony, more than 120 secondary school students were invited to join the World Water Monitoring Challenge 2012. Students were provided with test kits to check the quality of water at Plover Cove Reservoir by measuring four basic indicators - temperature, acidity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity. The activity is part of an international education and outreach programme which aims to build public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources. This year, it has grown out of the past World Water Monitoring Day programme to become a broader programme that runs from March 22, the United Nations World Water Day, until December 31.
More details of the World Water Monitoring Challenge are available at http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.
Ends/Saturday, October 27, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:51
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