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(b.) On the 22nd January, the practice of turning on water for cleansing and disinfecting purposes was discontinued, the Sanitary Board having been previously instructed to make other arrangements for obtaining a supply.
(c.) A few days later, ail supplies to shipping and for building purposes
were disconnected.
Attention was next turned to the adoption of measures to supplement the supply from other sources, and, on the 12th February, a committee, consisting of the Harbour Master, the Registrar General and the Director of Public Works, was appointed by His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government with full powers to take whatever steps they thought necessary for the purpose.
Prior to this, an inspection had been made of several of the principal streams on the mainland within reasonable distance of the City, resulting in the selection of one near Tsin Wan.
The question of resuming possession of the Lai Chi Kok stream, which had been leased to the Steam Water Boat Co., was considered, but was abandoned on account of the daily yield being somewhat inadequate, besides which its resumption would have caused serious interference with the supply to the shipping. The set- tlement of the Company's claim for damages would also have been a troublesome
matter.
Though considerably further afield, being six miles distant from the City, the stream near Tsin Wan was free from these objections. It had a yield of about half a million gallons per day and was used only for driving a sandalwood-grinding mill, and, as samples tested by the Government Analyst showed the water to be suitable for potable purposes, arrangements were at once made to render it available for transport to the Praya where it could be distributed for the supply of the population of the low-level district.
By negotiation with the owner of the sandalwood mill, the use of his dam and channel was obtained, the latter being extended for a distance of over 300 yards to a point near the shore whence a bamboo pier, 400 feet long, was constructed to carry a large wooden shoot for discharging the water into lighters. It was found necessary to line the new channel, as the water flowing along it became very muddy on account of the washing away of the softer portions of ground through which it was cut, and this was done with 9" stoneware pipes.
Three large lighters, each capable of containing over 90,000 gallons, were hired and, after being thoroughly cleansed, were fitted up with timber bulkheads in order to adapt them for conveying water.
Before the end of the drought, the number of lighters was increased to five. These were filled from the shoot already referred to and towed to the Praya.
On the Praya, three tanks having a combined capacity of 100,000 gallons were constructed of brick and concrete. One was situated near Wing Wo Street, another at the West end of Wing Lok Street, and the third at Eastern Street, all three being connected by a line of wrought or cast iron pipes, 6 and 7 inches diameter, laid along the Praya wall. Barricades were erected at the tanks, with entrances and exits, to enable the stream of people to be regulated and thus avoid loss of time through the confusion which inight otherwise have arisen.
At the central tank, a 6-inch centrifugal pump, mounted on a barge, and pro- vided with the necessary builer and connections to the lighters and tank, was stationed for pumping the water, all the tanks being supplied simultaneously through the pipe-line already mentioned. About 20 large taps, each of which was capable of filling a 5-gallon bucket in a minute, were provided at each tank in the first in- stance, 5 more taps being added subsequently. A duplicate set of pumping machinery was fitted up and held in readiness in case of a break-down occurring to the one in use.
Military guards were stationed at the tanks to maintain order and ensure that all who came to obtain water should take their turn in their order of coming.
The arrangements were got into working order on the 10th March and, from that date onwards till the 17th May, a regular, daily supply was maintained from the tanks, varying from 247,000 gallons at the beginning to 432,000 gallons at the end of the period mentioned.
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