The Water Supplies Department has awarded a $4.4 million consultancy agreement to Black & Veatch Hong Kong Limited to examine, design and supervise water main repairs and replacements in New Territories East.

This is the fourth and last consultancy agreement under Stage 2 of the water mains replacement and rehabilitation programme. It covers about 170 km of aged water mains with diameter ranging from 25 mm to 2,300 mm in Shatin, Tai Po, Fanling and Sheung Shui.

The investigation and design works for Stage 2 started in April, and is targeted for completion in early 2007. Construction works will start in early 2007 for completion in 2011.

Under the programme, the department plans to replace or rehabilitate about 3,000 km of water mains within 15 years.

Stage 1 of the programme, which covers 600 km of water mains, is already in progress. In Stage 2, the programme covers another 750 km of water mains.