On 16 October 2005, about 75 students from 15 secondary schools carried out simple water quality tests at Plover Cove Reservoir during the 2005 World Water Monitoring Day Ceremony.

The ceremony served as a prelude to the World Water Ceremony Day, set on October 18 of the year. This is the second consecutive year the International Water Association Regional Committee of Hong Kong, China (IWAHK) organized a ceremony in Hong Kong for the event.

Using handy kits, the students carried out simple tests measuring four basic water quality indicators: temperature, acidity, dissolved oxygen and turbidity under the guidance of the chemists from the Water Supplies Department (WSD). These four basic indicators help assess the quality of the water.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, highlighted the importance of water as the source of life.

"I wish that beginning today everyone of us can put into practice the concept of sustainable development by way of using less water and protecting our invaluable water resources as a start," Dr Liao said.

"The Government is implementing a total water management programme to enhance water conservation and water resource protection. The programme includes protection and management of water gathering ground; commissioning a pilot desalination plant at Tuen Mun; and the pilot scheme on the use of reclaimed water," she added.

The World Water Monitoring Day was initiated by the International Water Association (IWA) in partnership with the America's Clean Water Foundation in 2003 with a view to promoting public awareness and participation in the protection of water resources and quality.

The organisers aim to involve participants from all over the world in testing and monitoring their local water source. They are also required to record their findings on the World Water Monitoring Day website, ultimately contributing to a very useful resources of knowledge about the world's waterways.

Also officiating at the ceremony, the Director of Water Supplies cum Chairman of IWAHK, Mr William Ko said 50 countries with more than 6 500 sites registered to join the testing and monitoring exercise last year.

"The exercise, which allows participants to have direct knowledge of the quality of Hong Kong water resources, will raise the public awareness of the importance of clean water."

As a positive response to the invitation by IWA, today's event at Plover Cove Reservoir was jointly organized by the IWAHK, the Education and Manpower Bureau, WSD, the Drainage Services Department and the Environmental Protection Department. The six sponsors for the event were ATAL Engineering Ltd, Black & Veatch (HK) Ltd, China State Construction Engineering (HK) Ltd, Leighton Contractors (Asia) Ltd, Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd and United Utilities.