For discussion PWSC(97-98)13
on 9 May 1997

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 704 - DRAINAGE
Civil Engineering - Drainage and erosion protection
55CD - Territorial land drainage and flood control strategy study, phase III

    Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 55CD, retitled "Drainage master plan study in the Northern New Territories" to Category A at an estimated cost of $37.3 million in money-of-the-day prices.

PROBLEM

The Northern New Territories is susceptible to serious and frequent flooding due to the inadequacies of the tributaries, local drainage systems and the main river channels in the area.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Drainage Services, with the support of the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, proposes to upgrade 55CD to Category A at an estimated cost of $37.3 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices to undertake a drainage master plan study in the Northern New Territories.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The drainage master plan study in the Northern New Territories covers the catchments including San Tin, Indus and Ganges. The boundary of the study area is shown at Enclosure 1. The scope of the project comprises the following -

  1. reviewing and assessing the conditions and inadequacies of the existing tributaries and local drainage systems;

  2. preparing a computerised asset inventory and developing an asset management system for the drainage system to facilitate future system maintenance and development appraisal;

  3. recommending improvement measures for the tributaries and local drainage systems to meet current standards and future needs;

  4. carrying out an environmental review for the recommended improvement measures; and

  5. developing a prioritised implementation programme of works based on a cost-benefit analysis of the recommended improvement measures.

JUSTIFICATION

4. We completed project 52CD "Territorial land drainage and flood control strategy study, phase II - consultants’ fees and investigation" in August 1993. The study shows that the drainage systems in the Northern New Territories , which comprise mainly river channels and stream courses, are inadequate to cope with the increased stormwater flow due to extensive land development. The area has become susceptible to frequent and serious flooding during rainstorm seasons, causing damage and economic loss.

5. The study recommends the implementation of a number of major improvements to the main river channels and the commissioning of drainage master plan studies. The former will improve the condition of main river channels and water courses, while the latter will look into the inadequacies of tributaries and local drainage systems.

6. Improvement works to the main river channels are now at either planning or detailed design stage. To supplement the works, we propose to conduct a series of survey works and a drainage master plan study under 55CD to investigate into the local drainage problems, develop cost-effective measures to tackle the problems, and develop an asset inventory and an asset management system for the efficient management of the improved drainage systems as well as forward planning of extensions to the systems.

7. The Director of Drainage Services proposes to engage consultants to carry out the study because of insufficient in-house staff resources.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

8. We estimate the cost of the proposed study to be $37.3 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 9 below) made up as follows -




    $ million


    (a) Surveys


    9.7

    (i) flow/rainfall survey

    6.5



    (ii) manhole survey

    		0.5

    (iii) CCTV survey

    		0.5

    (iv) topographical survey

    		2.2

    (b) Consultants’ fees for

    		18.6

    (i) supervising survey work

    		1.0

    (ii) data collection, asset inventory taking, hydrological/hydraulic model building and asset management system development

    4.7



    (iii) examining conditions and assessing performance of existing system

    		3.1

    (iv) developing cost-effective options
    and a prioritised implementation programme

    		9.4

    (v) conducting an environmental
    review

    		0.4

    (c) Contingencies

    2.5




    _____


    Sub-total


    30.8

    (at December
    1996 prices)

    (d) Inflation allowance


    6.5




    _____


    Total


    37.3

    (in MOD prices)


    _____


    A breakdown by man months of the estimate for consultants’ fees is at Enclosure 2.

    9. Subject to approval, we will phase expenditure as follows -

    Year

    $ million
    (Dec 1996)

    Price
    adjustment
    factor

    $ million
    (MOD)

    1997 - 98

    3.2

    1.06750

    3.4

    1998 - 99

    14.0

    1.16358

    16.3

    1999 - 2000

    10.8

    1.26830

    13.7

    2000 - 01

    2.8

    1.38244

    3.9

    _____


    _____

    30.8


    37.3

    _____


    _____

    10. We have derived the MOD estimate on the basis of Government’s forecast of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1997 to 2001. We will tender the proposed consultancy on a lump-sum basis with provision for inflation adjustment as the project duration will be ismore than 12 months. The consultants will in turn appoint contractors for the survey work on remeasurement basis through a tendering process. The consultants will adopt this form of contract as they cannot determine in advance the exact extent of the survey work required.

    11. This projectThe proposed consultancy will not give rise to any recurrent expenditure.

    PUBLIC CONSULTATION

    12. This is a feasibility study and public consultation is not necessary at this stage. However, we will consult the public regarding the acceptability of the consultants’s recommendations.

    ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

    13. The study will include an environmental review on the recommended drainage improvement works. The proposed study itself will not cause any adverse environmental impacts.

    LAND ACQUISITION

    14. The proposed study does not require land acquisition. The consultants will examine the requirement for land to carry out future improvements.

    Background INFORMATION

    15. We upgraded 55CD to Category B in April 1994. The whole project includes a sedimentation study and two drainage master plan studies in the Northern and North-western New Territories.

    16. In November 1994, we upgraded the sedimentation study of 55CD to Category A as 68CD "Territorial land drainage and flood control strategy study phase III, sedimentation study - consultants’ fees and investigation". The study started in January 1995 for completion in June 1997.

    17. In January 1996, we upgraded the drainage master plan study in the North-western New Territories of 55CD to Category A as 83CD "Yuen Long, Kam Tin, Ngau Tam Mei and Tin Shui Wai drainage master plan study". The study started in January 1996 for completion in January 1998.

    18. The proposed drainage master plan study is the remaining works under 55CD. We planschedule to commence the drainage master plan study proposed in this paper in October 1997 for completion in June 1999. Upon the completion of this study, we will start the detailed design in mid-2000 and start the construction of the major improvement works in early 2002 for completion in late 2005.

    19. The proposed study is the fifth of the seven drainage master plan studies we plan to conduct in the Territory. The first one was 83CD as mentioned in paragraph 17 above. We also upgraded 75CD "Stormwater drainage master plan study in northern Hong Kong Island", 76CD "Stormwater drainage master plan study in Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi" and 78CD "Stormwater drainage master plan study in Tuen Mun and Sham Tseng" to Category A in May 1996, July 1996 and January 1997 respectively. Enclosure 3 shows the study boundaries and the planned programme of the seven drainage master plan studies.

    Planning, Environment and Lands Branch
    April 1997
    (DD1102)

    Enclosure 2 to PWSC(97-98)13

    55CD - Territorial land drainage and flood control strategy study phase III

    Breakdown of estimate for consultants’ fees -

    Consultants’ staff costs


    Estimated
    man
    months

    Average
    MPS
    salary
    point

    Multiplier
    factor

    Estimated
    fee
    ($ million)

    (a) Supervising survey

    Professional
    Technical

    4
    6

    40
    16

    3
    3

    0.66
    0.33

    (b) Data collection, asset inventory taking, hydrological/hydraulic model building and asset management system development

    Professional
    Technical

    15
    40

    40
    16

    3
    3

    2.49
    2.23

    (c) Examining conditions and assessing performance of existing system

    Professional
    Technical

    15
    10

    40
    16

    3
    3

    2.49
    0.56

    (d) Developing cost-effective options
    and a prioritised implementation programme

    Professional
    Technical

    40
    50

    40
    16

    3
    3

    6.65
    2.79

    (e) Conducting an environmental
    review

    Professional
    Technical

    2
    2

    40
    16

    3
    3

    0.33
    0.11





    _____

    Total consultants’ staff costs




    18.64





    _____

    Out-of-pocket expenses





    (a) Flow/rainfall survey




    6.50

    (b) Manhole survey




    0.50

    (c) CCTV survey




    0.50

    (d) Topographical survey




    2.20





    _____

    Total out-of-pocket expenses




    9.70





    _____

    Notes :

  1. A multiplier factor of 3 is applied to the average MPS point to arrive at the full staff costs including the consultants’ overheads and profit, as the staff will be employed in the consultants’ offices. (At 1.4.96, MPS pt. 40 = $55,390 p.m. and MPS pt. 16 = $18,595 p.m.)

  2. Out-of-pocket expenses are the actual costs incurred. The consultants are not entitled to any additional payment for overheads or profit in respect of these items.

  3. The figures given above are based on estimates prepared by the Director of Drainage Services. We will only know the actual man months and actual fees when we have selected the consultants through the usual competitive lump- sum fee bid system.

(DD1102)

Last Updated on 16 August 1999