No SARS virus is found in samples collected from the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works (SCISTW), which treats sewage from a local SARS treating hospital Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), a Hong Kong official said Wednesday.
Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao told the Legislative Council meeting that according to a recent analysis of the sewage and marine water samples collected from the SCISTW, no Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus was found.
According to the secretary, disinfectant has been added to the toilet flushing water supply system at the PMH to ensure that the sewage generated in the hospital would be disinfected.
The chemically enhanced primary treatment process at Stonecutters Island removes substantial quantities of pollutants from the incoming sewage, notably about 80 percent of suspended solids, 70 percent of biochemical oxygen demand, 30 percent of total nitrogen, 40 percent of phosphorus, 60 percent of heavy metals and 50 percent of sewage indicator bacteria.
At present, the treated effluent from the SCISTW is being discharged into the western anchorage area where it is dispersed and diluted by the water currents, well away from residents, she said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2003)
