Inter-reservoirs Transfer Scheme commissioning ceremony

09 January 2023

The commissioning ceremony for the Inter-reservoirs Transfer Scheme (IRTS) – Water Tunnel between Kowloon Byewash Reservoir and Lower Shing Mun Reservoir was held on January 6, marking the successful completion of the project. We were honored to have Mr Ricky Lau, the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) together with Ms Alice Pang, the Director of Drainage Services, Mr Tony Yau, the Director of Water Supplies as the officiating guests. Nearly 100 guests attended the ceremony.

In the IRTS project, our project team was responsible for constructing a tunnel of approximately 2.8km long with a 3-metre diameter from the Kowloon Byewash Reservoir to the Lower Shing Mun Reservoir, and the associated intake and outfall structures at both ends of the tunnel. The tunnel serves dual objectives of improving flood protection level in West Kowloon areas and optimising water conservation, by transferring collected surface runoff from the Kowloon group of reservoirs to the Lower Shing Mun Reservoir. In the long run, this tunnel will strengthen the city’s resilience in flood mitigation to combat climate change.

The works of the IRTS scheme were implemented by the Drainage Services Department, while the operation and maintenance will be handled by the Water Supplies Department after commissioning. The scheme has achieved the dual purpose of “one project, two results”, that is, “flood prevention ‧ water storage”. The project received the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Award Hong Kong 2022 – Merit Award in recognition of the efforts of the project team.