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Appendix "B.”
MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, 12TH JUNE, 1929.
Hon. D. P. W. said :-I am glad of this opportunity of placing before the Water Emergency Committee a short resumé of the present water situation and the steps that have been taken to augment the supply.
The total storage in the island reservoirs on the morning of Monday, 10th June. amounted to 212.71 million gallons, shewing a decrease of 25.19 million gallons during the previous week. The week's consumption amounted to 27.37 million gallons and in- cluded 2.26 million gallons brought across the harbour from Kowloon to the tanks on the Water Front and .59 million gallons from the Taikoo Refinery Supply.
The total storage in the mainland reservoirs on the morning of Monday, 10th June, amounted to 85.61 million gallons shewing a decrease of 2.35 million gallons dur- ing the previous week. The week's consumption, including supplies to Water Boats and Hong Kong, amounted to 19.59 million gallons The yield from streams during the week was, therefore, 17.24 million gallons.
At a consumption rate of 3 million gallons per day, the storage in the Hong Kong Reservoirs is sufficient for at least two months. A supply for about the same period is available from the Kowloon Reservoirs at the present consumption rate.
Four tanks of a total capacity of 120,000 gallons were obtained from England in February and have been erected. Certain low level areas in the city have for some time been supplied from these tanks with 300,000 gallons of water a day from Lai Chi Kok Water Boat Dock.
The number of tanks has been gradually increased, the Chinese community assist- ing in obtaining Contractors to hasten their erection.
An additional 9 tanks are now being put in hand, and the capacity of some of the existing tanks is being increased. The total number of tanks will be about 26. These will be refilled about four times during every 24 hours.
The total capacity of these 26 tanks will be 750,000 gallons, or 3,000,000 gallons for the 24 hours.
Notices have from time to time been sent to the Press calling attention to the seriousness of the water position, and advertisements have been published restricting the hours of supply.
Since October, 1928, a weekly report on the Water situation has been submitted to the Executive Council for consideration as to when further restrictions should be intro- duced.
To relieve Mr. Purves, Waterworks Engineer, who is in charge of the distribution from the permanent sources of supply, three officers of the Public Works Department have been seconded for duty in connection with the emergency water supplies: Mr. Carpenter, A.D.P.W., being in charge, assisted by Messrs. Rouse and Graver. Mr. Rouse has been appointed Secretary to the Water Emergency Committee. A separate office has been formed to deal with this emergency work.
The Tsun Wan source of supply was investigated, and the necessary work for tapping this source was completed within one week. Deliveries to the tanks in Hong Kong commenced on Sunday 8th June. Approximately million gallons per day will be obtainable from this source.