Pollution in the coastal waters of Hong Kong: Case studies of the urban Victoria and Tolo Harbours

Rapid population growth and industrialisation resulted in severe pollution in Hong Kong's urban harbours. Victoria Harbour is located in the centre of Hong Kong and received substantial discharges of untreated sewage and industrial effluents but even the formerly rural Tolo Harbour experienced serious pollution as a consequence of excessive nutrient loadings from livestock wastes and wastewaters following the development of new towns around its shores. This paper provides an overview of the marine ecological disturbance and pollution pressures in Hong Kong coastal waters and discusses the measures adopted to intercept and improve wastewater discharges that consequently led to improvements in coastal water quality in local harbours.