En Clair
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Telno
Unnumbered
UM SSIFIED
`(D.T.D.)
20 December 1967
RECEIVED IN
CHIVES No. 63
22 DEC1967
6
HWB28/42
om HuJB 12/2)
Copy on
PRESS.
201845 Attention Glover.
Government has for a long time been conscious of very important part that desalination can and almost certainly will in future play in Hong Kong.
However Government is not, repeat not satisfied that technology of desalination had yet reached a stage when it could with confidence invest very large sums of money in this form of water production when sources of conventional supply are still untapped.
Speaking at Adjournment Debate at this Wednesday afternoon's Legislative Council meeting Director of Public Works Mr. A.M.J. Wright said funds have been approved for two major investigations one into raising of Plover Cove Dam to increase present gross capacity and other into development of untapped catchment areas in Sai Kung Peninsula where there are potential reservoir sites of Plover Cove type.
Mr. Wright said ability to build reservoirs with storage capacity of Plover Cove is of immense importance because now, repeat now for first time we are able to store surplus water from wet years for use in dry years.
Referring to Press comments on salinity in our drinking water Mr. Wright said "Communist Press claims that with water from China we can safely continue a twentyfour-hour daily supply without using Plover Cove water.
"This is exactly what we did for most of last winter because following a meeting with Chinese authorities at Lowu in November 1966, we had reason to expect that subject to giving a month's notice of our intention to do so we could draw water from China over and above quantity specified in formal agreement during July August and September if summer rains should be late in arriving".
Director of Public Works recalled that during those three months we received no, repeat no water from China and for nearly two months we had to restrict supply to four hours every fourth day.
"With this experience behind us" he said "I do not, repeat not believe anyone would be so foolish as to wish to see our reserves drawn down unnecessarily this winter"
•
Mr. Wright admitted there is "a lot of public grumbling about saltiness of water especially when they are drinking tea. But he added community as a whole accepts present arrangement with understanding.
He said if we are to maintain a round the clock supply we must continue to deliver water with salinities of up to nine hundred parts per million.
If any noticeable reduction in salinity is to be made he said
/supply