LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
During the year under review, approximately 56 million cubic metres of uncontaminated mud and 1.8 million cubic metres of contaminated mud were disposed of under licences issued by the Environmental Protection Department. The uncontaminated mud was dumped in spoil grounds and in worked-out borrow areas, and the contaminated mud was placed in disposal pits especially designed to ensure containment.
In connection with the management of the territory's fill resources and mud disposal capacity, the GEO, on behalf of the Fill Management Committee, is undertaking a series of environmental studies to examine the effects of the dredging and dumping activities, and investigating possible ways to avoid or minimise any adverse effects on the marine environment.
Water Supplies
Water from China
China is the major single source of water supply for Hong Kong, and all future increases in demand will be met from this source.
This arrangement dates back to 1960, when a scheme was first formulated for receiving a piped supply of 22.7 million cubic metres a year. The supply from China stipulated under the agreements was 534 million cubic metres for the period from March to December 1994. This will continue to increase in stages to 840 million cubic metres per annum by the year 2000. Apart from the fixed quantities of supply stipulated in the agreements, there are provisions for the purchase of additional supplies from China in years of low rainfall in Hong Kong.
Following the agreement reached with the Chinese authorities in December 1989 to increase the China water supply up to a maximum of 1 100 million cubic metres per year to cope with anticipated demands beyond 1994 and into the early 2000s, a conceptual plan was developed for the necessary works to receive and distribute the additional supply. The works are being implemented in stages, with Stage I works substantially completed at the end of 1994. These works include some 22 kilometres of large-diameter delivery pipes; new pumping stations at Muk Wu, Tai Po Tau, Au Tau and Sai O; and major improvements to an existing pumping station at Tai Mei Tuk.
Water Storage and Consumption
Full supply was maintained throughout the year. At the end of 1994, there were 423 million cubic metres of water in storage, compared with 386 million cubic metres at the end of 1993. Of this, 367 million cubic metres were stored in Hong Kong's two largest reservoirs, High Island and Plover Cove. Rainfall for the year was 2 726 millimetres, compared with the average of 2 214 millimetres. Water piped from China during the year totalled 683 million cubic metres.
A peak consumption of 2.73 million cubic metres per day was recorded, compared with the 1993 peak of 2.78 million cubic metres. The average daily consumption throughout the year was 2.53 million cubic metres, an increase of 0.8 per cent compared with the 1993 average of 2.51 million cubic metres. The consumption of potable water totalled 923 million cubic metres, compared with 915 million cubic metres in 1993. In addition, 142 million cubic metres of sea water for flushing was supplied, compared with 129 million cubic metres in 1993.
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