Coloane flood control project takes shape as embankment construction progresses

The Coloane flood control project construction early this year [Photo: Renato Marques]

Construction work on a flood control and drainage project in West Coloane is underway, with the embankment now visible along the shoreline, according to the Public Works Bureau (DSOP). The project aims to address recurring flooding in the area.

On May 14, DSOP director Lam Wai Hou led a team directly to the Coloane Residents’ Association to face about 70 locals, including neighborhood association leaders and everyday residents. The message was that progress is being made, and officials want to hear local concerns.

Phase one of the project, covering the embankment and over-water construction, is moving “steadily and orderly,” officials reported. The embankment is already taking shape, and overall progress is on schedule. However, this is not just a concrete barrier. Phase two will add embankment facilities and a drainage system. Once both phases are complete, officials say the plan includes brand-new, comprehensive recreational facilities for both locals and tourists, transforming the area from a flood zone into a “new tourist attraction” for downtown Coloane.

Residents packed the hall and raised four main concerns: project timelines, environmental hygiene during construction, how strong the flood protection will actually be, and who will manage everything once it is built. Before the major construction work even began, DSOP had already completed some smaller fixes, helping residents clean sewage channels and setting up temporary household connection manholes.

For anyone who has lived in Coloane through typhoon season, the stakes are obvious. The area has suffered from “long-standing flooding problems” for decades. Once the full project is complete, officials say it will “significantly improve” flood and drainage capacity, finally addressing the problem, while adding leisure spaces that could make West Coloane look very different a few years from now.