About
Visit Fee
Free
Highlights
The Tseung Kwan O Desalination Plant is a landmark project designed to enhance Hong Kong’s water security by diversifying its water sources. This initiative marks the city’s first seawater desalination facility using reverse osmosis technology, located at Tseung Kwan O (TKO) Area 137. The plant has a production capacity of 135,000 m3/day, which is around 5 per cent of the overall fresh water demand in Hong Kong. Key elements of the project include an 8-hectare site to house the full-scale facility, intake and outfall systems designed to support maximum capacity, environmental mitigation measures, slope stabilization, landscaping works, and the installation of pipelines to transport treated water to TKO’s existing freshwater service reservoir. The project not only guarantees a scalable and reliable water supply but also integrates essential infrastructure and environmental protection measures.
Participants will have the unique opportunity to visit the plant under the guidance of the organizer. During the visit, they will gain valuable insights into the construction techniques employed and the desalination process itself.
Safety Requirements
The organizer will provide participants with reflective jackets and helmets.
Registration
The number of participants is strictly limited. Priority will be given to members of the AGS (HK). The number of attendees will be limited to 25 and the applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Successful applicants will be informed about 1 week before the event. CPD certificates will be provided. If you have any queries, please call Martin Yip at 6012 0019.
Book Prize
Professionals under 35 years of age are encouraged to submit a Book Prize Report (max. 500 words) on webinars and site visits arranged by AGS (HK).
Contributors to successful Book Prize Reports will be awarded a Book Prize that comprises of a book "Geology of Site Investigation Boreholes in Hong Kong" written by Chris Fletcher, and a coupon of HK$500 for Eslite Spectrum (誠品生活). The successful Book Prize Report will also be published on the AGS (HK) website to showcase your accomplishment.
Prior to report submission, please refer to the “The AGS Book Prize Reports – Assessment Framework”* on the AGS (HK) website. You may submit your Book Prize Report to our assessors by uploading the report file through the AGS (HK) website at https://www.ags-hk.org/book-prize. Should you have any questions, please contact us at agshk@meinhardt.com.hk.
*Link to the AGS Book Prize Reports – Assessment Framework:
https://www.ags-hk.org/_files/ugd/521a4c_b94496034732484687441cf4ed4d0bf9.pdf
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Recap of the day
On June 28, 2025, AGS organized a technical site visit to the Tseung Kwan O Desalination plan, with support from the Water Supplies Department (WSD), Binnies Hong Kong Limited, and AJCJV. This project represents one of the WSD’s strategic infrastructure aimed at ensuring a reliable and sufficient supply of high-quality potable water for Hong Kong.
During the visit, participants gained insight into the critical need for a desalination plant in Hong Kong. The city currently relies heavily on imported water from Dongjiang (the East River) in mainland China, which supplies 70-80% of its water needs. With a growing population, the impacts of climate change on water resources, and the necessity for enhancing water independence, the Tseung Kwan O Desalination Plant plays a vital role in bolstering Hong Kong’s water security.
The site visit offered attendees a closer look at the plant’s advanced desalination system, which uses a four-step reverse osmosis process to convert seawater into potable water. The process begins with pre-treatment, where large particles and impurities are removed. This is followed by the reverse osmosis process, in which high-pressure membranes filter out salts and other contaminants. The next step involves post-treatment to ensure the water meets drinking water standards. Finally, the brine by-product is safely discharged back into the sea in an environmentally responsible manner.
Overall, the visit provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of the desalination system and highlighted its importance in addressing Hong Kong’s long-term sustainability and resilience.
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Reference materials
Download the presentation slides and other reference materials below.