Hong Kong sewage plan covers 94% of population, 319 villages
Hong Kong’s government says 94 per cent of the population is served by public sewage, with 319 villages connected under a village sewage scheme. About 586 villages remain eligible but no timeline is set for the rest, as the government prioritises villages near new development areas.
Hong Kong’s government says more than 94 per cent of the population’s sewage is already treated by the public sewage collection system, placing the city among the world’s most advanced jurisdictions. The figure was provided by the government in a legislative council reply on 11 November 2026, in response to a question from lawmaker Chan Cho-kwong about the state of sewage infrastructure in rural areas.
Under the village sewage collection system scheme, the government has completed sewage works for 319 villages with higher常住人口 and closer proximity to existing public sewage networks as of September 2026. These works benefit about 240,000 residents. Of these, 60 villages had their works completed in the past five years, while construction is ongoing for another 21 villages.
The government said it considers factors including environmental improvement, population density, resident consent, technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness and financial conditions when prioritising projects. About 586 villages or areas remain eligible for inclusion in the scheme.
For villages still without sewage coverage, residents can continue using on-site treatment facilities such as septic tanks and soakaway systems. The Environmental Protection Department will continue to promote proper use and maintenance of these systems, the government said.
The government acknowledged that drawing up a concrete timeline for the remaining villages is difficult due to complex land ownership issues and the need for extensive consultation and statutory procedures. Instead, it will leverage development in the Northern Territories new development areas to extend sewage connections to nearby villages not yet in the scheme. The Development Bureau is prioritising about 40 to 50 villages that already have or will soon have public sewage networks nearby, starting with the Hung Shui Chiu/Tsuen and San Tin Tech City projects.