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The Tank system has not yet been developed to its full capacity. By more fre- quent filling of the Tanks and with additional taps and lengths of piping the queues can be considerably reduced. This has already been done where the regular system has come into force; for instance in the case of the Tanks in Gilman and Centre Streets and at Western Market-which have been connected up and are supplied regularly by waterboats from Lai Chi Kok-the queues here have almost ceased to exist.
The extensions to the Brick Tanks on the Praya have just been completed, and these are being connected together so as to facilitate filling from lighters or waterboats. When fully developed this system should appreciably augment supplies.
When the existing low level tank system has been fully developed and the outside sources of supply have been increased it will be possible to introduce Tanks on a higher level zone of about 100 ft. above the sea, and when this extended system is in operation it will be possible still further to conserve the rapidly diminishing water supply on the Island.
Centrifugal pumps, electrically driven, would deliver water to these tanks either from the large brick tanks on the Praya or direct from lighters. Long supply pipes with the necessary number of taps would be laid from these upper tanks so as to em- brace as large a district as possible and reduce carrying to a mininum.
Should there be a further continuance of the drought the position by October might be as follows:-
All houses as far as Caine Road level may then have to depend entirely on tank supplies.
Above that level, in order to avoid great expense, a very limited supply from the mains would be given if available. It is quite possible that during the winter the total draw-off from the mains would have to be reduced to less than 1 million gallons per day in order to make the existing storage last until the 1930 rains set in.
However, a third zone of tanks at about 250' above sea level is not impossible and will be considered, should the situation demand it.
It is again emphasized that to avoid waste and to get the most out of every gallon available as much water as possible should be carried. A supply through the mains re- sults in increased consumption and this method of supply must be eliminated for the present as far as possible.
SUPPLIES FROM THE MAINLAND.
There are at the moment 3 available sources of supply on the mainland, viz., from Laichikok, Tsun Wan and Sham Tseng, the last of which is expected to be in operation this week.
During the summer months it is anticipated that fully 2 million gallons a day can be obtained from these sources and transported to the Hong Kong tanks by water boats or lighters.
As these supplies begin to fail in the autumn the service from the West River, where there is unlimited water, will have to be further developed to meet the deficiency.
SUPPLY BY TANKERS OR COASTERS THROUGH TFTAM TUK.
Since the first meeting of the Water Emergency Committee additional information is available as to the cost of a supply of water by Tankers from Shanghai and though Government has already decided that the cost of such a scheme is prohibitive the figures now available are interesting and only confirm the previous decision.
According to the latest calculations a fleet of 30 Tankers would be necessary to maintain supply of 3,360,000 gallons a day and would cost approximately $1,845,000 a
The estimate is based upon the following data:
month.
(1) The use of vessels of say 7,500 tons capacity each.