The Water Supplies Department (WSD) today (January 18) held the “Cherish Water Campus” Award Ceremony for the 2022/23 school year to commend the efforts in and contributions to fostering a water conservation culture in schools by school sponsoring bodies, principals, teachers and students. Prize presenters at the ceremony included the Director of Water Supplies, Mr Tony Yau; Principal Education Officer of the Education Bureau Miss Yvonne Lam; and Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association Ms Polly Chan.
The “Cherish Water Campus” Integrated Education Programme has been well received by the education sector since it was rolled out in 2015. In the 2022/23 school year, over 400 primary schools and 450 kindergartens have joined the programme, hitting the record-high participation number. At the ceremony, 221 prizes, including Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards of Outstanding Schools in 18 Districts, Water Conservation Star Award, Grand Champion and Excellent School Sponsoring Body Award, were presented to over 50 schools and 80 students.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Yau said in 1960s, severe water rationing measures were imposed on Hong Kong owing to a disastrous drought. Thanks to the country’s care and support, the Dongjiang-Shenzhen Water Supply Scheme was completed swiftly and Dongjiang water has been imported to Hong Kong since 1965, resolving Hong Kong’s long-term insufficiency of water resources. However, in meeting the challenges of climate change to water supply reliability, Mr Yau encouraged students not only to bear in mind that the precious water supply cannot be taken for granted but also stay alert to possible threats ahead that warrant the need to develop a virtue of cherishing water. Moreover, in recent years the WSD has been developing new water sources, namely desalinated water, reclaimed water and treated grey water, to safeguard water supply reliability.
The WSD has been striving to promote water conservation to the public through various channels. The “Cherish Water Campus” Integrated Education Programme aims to strengthen students’ awareness that water is precious through a series of teaching materials on “Cherish Water Resources” delivered in an interactive and interesting teaching approach and to enable students to put the principle of water conservation into practice in their daily lives with a view to developing good water-saving habits.
The list of the primary schools in 18 districts receiving gold awards is in the attachment. Full award lists of primary schools and kindergartens have been uploaded to the WSD website.
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