The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) said in a recent statement that the clearing and maintenance of sewers have been carried out in various districts ahead of the typhoon and rainy seasons, focusing on improving the inspection of flood-susceptible areas.
According to the statement, the bureau has also completed silt clearing work in various low-lying areas. The bureau also continues to increase inspections on construction sites and food establishments, as well as initiating prosecutions against regulation violations.
The bureau, the statement pointed out, is responsible for maintaining and clearing around “500 kilometres of sewers, over 42,000 manholes, 73 municipal pumping stations and 186 marine outfalls” throughout Macau.
The statement added that in around 75 percent of sewers the bureau has implemented “diversion of clear water and wastewater”, while the “old-fashioned combined sewers” are mainly distributed in old districts such as San Kio and the Inner Harbour.
The bureau has cleared over 57,000 metres of sewers and catch basins 5,500 times from January to March, as well as completed “recording and analysing CCTV footage of about 7,500 metres of sewers”. A total of over 400 tonnes of waste has been removed from public drains, an over 80 percent increase compared to last year.
The statement noted that the bureau continuously carries out operations with other official entities and has inspected “the grease interceptors of food and beverage establishments of 259 establishments/times in total”.
Owing to the grease interceptors failing to “perform the proper operational efficiency”, 28 written records were issued during the inspections. Two businesses were also asked to close because of violations of the regulations and failing to make the required improvements.
Moreover, the statement added that inspections of construction sites in various districts were carried out 152 times, with 12 cases of illegal wastewater discharge uncovered and written records or warning letters issued accordingly.
The statement pointed out that the Municipal Affairs Bureau conducts activities such as inspections and clearance of sewers and municipal pumping stations in low-lying areas prone to flooding ahead of time, while areas that experienced flooding last year such as Rotunda Flor de Lótus, were followed up continuously. Other official entities were also contacted for the clearance work at the affected locations.
Meanwhile, the bureau emphasised that various measures and emergency response mechanisms will be put in place accordingly. With the approach of a typhoon or a rainstorm, the statement underlined that priority is given to inspection and clearance in low-lying areas prone to flooding. Technology monitoring, according to the statement, is also introduced to improve inspections and law enforcement.
The statement emphasised that businesses and the public should avoid pouring waste, grease and other substances into public drains in the streets, while cement grout and construction waste or grease should not be discharged into public sewers. Further information can be found at https://www.iam.gov.mo/e/resource/.
This undated handout photo provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) recently shows IAM workers clearing a blocked drain.
