The Water Supplies Department says the mains replacement and rehabilitation programme will be completed by 2015, five years ahead of schedule.

The earlier completion will bring about improvements to the supply system and minimise inconvenience to the public due to frequent main bursts.

The department today awarded a $223-million contract to Excel Engineering to replace and rehabilitate 66 kilometres of fresh and salt water mains in Central, Sheung Wan, Sai Ying Poon, Kennedy Town, Aberdeen and Wong Chuk Hang.

This is the first contract under Stage 1 Phase 2 of the city-wide water-mains replacement and rehabilitation project. Works start tomorrow for completion in 2010.

Inconvenience reduced: Assistant Director of Water Supplies Ng Chi-ho (right) and an Excel Engineering representative sign the $223-million contract. The department's water-mains replacement and rehabilitation programme will replace and fix 3,000km of aged fresh and salt water mains throughout the city.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, Assistant Director of Water Supplies Ng Chi-ho said with the scheme's implementation, incidents of mains burst and leakage will be cut.

The scheme will replace and fix 3,000 kilometres of aged fresh and salt water mains throughout the city in four stages, costing about $11 billion.

Stage 1 Phase 1 works started in December 2000 and are expected to be completed in December 2008. Works of Stage 1 Phase 2 will be completed in March 2010.

The Stage 2 project is under study and detailed design. Works will start in January for completion in 2011.

Stage 3

Advance works on Stage 3 are under study and detailed design. Works will start in 2008 for completion in 2013.

Stage 4 is also under study. The investigation and detailed design of the works will start next year for completion in 2010. Construction will start in 2011 for completion in 2015.

The department will continue reviewing the programme, taking into account prevailing constraints and the residual life of the water mains to be replaced, with a view to completing the works within a shorter timeframe.