Bouygues Travaux Publics and China Road and Bridge Corporation have won the contract to build the Hong Kong East Drainage Tunnel.
The €173m of works, awarded by the Drainage Services Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, are designed as part of the government’s policy to improve Hong Kong’s flood prevention infrastructure and strengthen the city’s resilience to extreme weather events.
Once completed, the 3.6km tunnel will collect rainwater from upstream catchment areas and channel it to Pak Sha Wan, a nearby discharge point into the sea. This will relieve pressure on the existing downstream drainage network and reduce the risk of flooding in the Eastern District of the island, where impermeable surfaces and high urban density are worsening the risk of flooding.
The project includes construction of the drainage tunnel, approximately 5m in diameter, which will link the districts of Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan, on the east coast of Hong Kong Island, to Pak Sha Wan.
The consortium will also build seven intake structures to collect and capture surface run-off before it reaches built-up areas, six connection adits and an outfall structure that discharges water from the tunnel into the sea.
The tunnel will be constructed by TBM, drill-and-blast excavation and pipe jacking.
The project is scheduled to be completed in 2030.
Bertrand Burtschell, deputy CEO of Bouygues Construction with responsibility for civil works, said: “Some 20 years after we handed over the Hong Kong West Drainage Tunnel, this project is testament to our continued presence in this region and the trust that has been placed in our expertise to construct complex and essential infrastructure. Alongside our partners, we are continuing our commitment to strengthening the resilience of this region and providing its residents with better protection against extreme weather events.”
