Tai Po Tau Treatment Works

Hidden within a valley near Tai Po lies the Tai Po Tau Treatment Works. This isn’t just any water treatment plant. It’s a testament to human ingenuity, a modern marvel designed to quench the thirst of a bustling metropolis. Tai Po Tau Treatment Works, commissioned in 2003, initially treated 250,000 cubic meters of water per day. The plant utilizes dissolved air flotation, a process several times more efficient than traditional methods, requiring less space. This innovative approach clarifies the water by pumping air into the clarifier, creating bubbles that lift impurities to the surface. Tai Po Tau Treatment Works also boasts a primary aerated biological filtration system. This system, unique at the time of its implementation in Hong Kong, removes ammonia without relying on large quantities of chlorine. The Dongjiang River, the plant’s primary water source, once contained high levels of manganese, ammonia, and organic materials. The biological filter, a sand pit teeming with bacteria, effectively breaks down the ammonia. After clarification and biological filtration, the water undergoes secondary rapid gravity filtration, a final polishing stage. The Tai Po Tau Treatment Works design also allows for direct filtration, bypassing the first stage if water quality is high. This flexibility, combined with advanced control and instrumentation, distinguishes Tai Po Tau from older treatment plants in Hong Kong. Originally designed with three structural modules, each capable of handling 400,000 cubic meters of water per day, Tai Po Tau Treatment Works has been expanded. The expansion, completed in 2018, doubled its capacity to 800,000 cubic meters per day, serving Tai Po, West and Central Kowloon, and the Central and Western Districts of Hong Kong Island. The expansion also increased the facility’s buildings from 16 to 24 and integrated green features and renewable energy technologies. This expansion exemplifies the Water Supplies Department’s commitment to sustainability, as the Tai Po Tau Treatment Works earned a BEAM Plus Final Platinum rating. The plant’s innovative design, nestled in a valley, stacks multiple treatment processes in multi-level buildings, minimizing its footprint and environmental impact. Tai Po Tau Treatment Works stands as a symbol of Hong Kong’s continuous efforts to provide clean and sustainable water for its citizens.