PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
173
54-inch diameter has been laid between Lion Rock and Tai Wan Bay in Kowloon to convey water from Sha Tin treatment works to the cross-harbour main. Connected pipelaying on Hong Kong Island is also proceeding.
As well as the need for major supply schemes to keep pace with the rapid increase in population there has been a corresponding need for continuous extension to the distribution system. During the year six new service reservoirs for the underground storage of treated water were completed, while a further nine are under construction and 28 miles of pipeline of 12-inch diameter and larger were laid. Also wherever possible the salt water systems have been extended for sanitary and fire-fighting purposes, and two new salt water reservoirs were commissioned during the year while three others are under construction.
Improvements were carried out to the traditional irrigation systems of the New Territories and new works were constructed to improve supplies. During the year 200 feet of irrigation channels were lined with concrete to reduce seepage; 4,400 feet of new channel and four diversion dams were constructed.
Systematic waste detection was carried out on a greatly increased scale and 65 areas were checked. A number of major leaks were discovered and repaired, resulting in the daily saving of an estimated 4.65 million gallons. The quality of water supplied was maintained at the same high level as in previous years and the few sub-standard samples detected were traced to violations of the Waterworks Ordinance or to the carelessness of consumers.
BUILDINGS
A large programme of public building work was carried out, and total expenditure during the year amounted to approximately $18 million on government low-cost housing; $102 million on resettlement estates and factories; and $80 million on the large variety of other buildings. As in previous years, though to a lesser extent, the work was helped forward by private architects and quantity surveyors. The exceptionally heavy rainfall which occurred in June impeded progress and resulted in a certain amount of damage at building sites, but the overall effect on the building programme