Beneath our feet lies a crucial artery of Hong Kong’s infrastructure the West Kowloon No. 1 Sewage Pumping Station. This station plays a vital role in the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme. It is commonly known as HATS.
The HATS project began in the early 1990s. Its goal was to combat increasing pollution in Victoria Harbour. The West Kowloon No. 1 Sewage Pumping Station is an integral part of this scheme.
Think of the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works as the heart of HATS. It receives sewage via deep tunnels acting like arteries. The West Kowloon No. 1 Sewage Pumping Station helps to get it there.
Stonecutters Island was selected for its central location. This location minimizes the length of the deep tunnels. The Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works was commissioned after 1997. It serves civil facilities including the North West Kowloon Preliminary Treatment Works. This also serves areas like Sham Shui Po and Yau Ma Tei.
The Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works provides chemically enhanced primary treatment. This is for sewage collected from the deep tunnel system. It can handle 1.7 million cubic meters of sewage daily. HATS Stage 1 serves about 3.5 million people. Future stages will increase this to 5.7 million.
The West Kowloon No. 1 Sewage Pumping Station is a key part of Stage 1. It lifts sewage from the deep tunnels to treatment facilities. This station is compact. It has a diameter of 50 meters and a depth of over 38 meters. The wet well is at the periphery. The pumps, motors and control room are in the central space. The pumping system includes eight centrifugal pumps. Four variable speed drives ensure energy-efficient operation.
The West Kowloon No. 1 Sewage Pumping Station is essential for maintaining a clean harbour. It supports Hong Kong’s environmental health. This often-overlooked station is a testament to engineering innovation. It’s a vital component of our city’s infrastructure.