1990
COLONY'S WATER SHORTAGES-1
The recent heavy rain has probably added some much-needed water to the Colony reservoir supplies. Within the past week or so, there have been references to the approaching completion of the Shing Mun scheme, and the laying of a second cross-harbour pipeline, which will eventually make the periodic shortages of water supply a thing of the past. It was as recently as 1929 that the Colony faced a grave water shortage; the situation which then arose must be fresh in the minds of many readers. Prolonged droughts, in any year, have always resulted in these crises.
No history of the Colony would be complete without a reference to the recurring water shortages: or the reservoir schemes which were necessitated by a rapidly increasing population - though the supply has never quite kept pace with the growth of the demand.
On looking through the old files, one discovers that the first water shortage of real gravity was in 1886: a brief history of that crisis has already been given in the course of these articles (see 26-3-34). However, shortages of varying intensity were experienced at even earlier dates. For instance, a newspaper comment of January 20, 1883, stated:
"The long continued drought, combined with the desiccation of the atmosphere, has conduced to bring about a state of aridity and dryness such as I have not known for years. Besides drying up many of the streams and wells, it is seriously affecting the gardens and, materially injuring the prospects of the Flower Show. I hear sad complaints from those residents who take delight in horticulture, disappointments with their pets being frequent. So far, it is true, few persons have failed to obtain a supply of water to keep their plants alive, but the quantity is meagre, and the evaporation is so great and constant, that they make only limited progress. If the present scarcity lasts much longer the water supply for gardens will give out altogether in many places."
As we have noticed, it was three years later that the Colony suffered a menacing water famine, so that the poorer-class Chinese resorted to the meagre, filthy trickles coming down the nullahs, and sickness became rife. Heavy rain in the late summer (as in other years) relieved the situation in the nick of time.
For the next exceedingly serious shortage in the 1929 drought - we must turn to 1902. Quote from the contemporary press comments. On May 5, 1902, had the following:
largely paralleled
I cannot do better than The Hongkong Telegraph
"It is to be doubted if ever before in the history of the Colony have the weather conditions been so at variance with the season of the year. Though it is true an occasional shower has swept by, the rain that has fallen has proved scarcely enough to lay the dust collected in every nook and cranny. It is indeed a deplorable condition and one that must long remain in the memory of those unfortunate enough to experience the worst drought ever known in Hongkong.
"Affairs have now become so grave that everyone is bemoaning the fact that his own source of supply is practically exhausted, and until a long and steady downpour favours the Colony he must depend on the water obtainable from the many running streams on the Mainland. Though all are naturally complaining of the great inconvenience occasioned by the scarcity of water, it cannot
be denied that the grumblings from upper levels are not so warrantable as the wailings from the fetid dens of West Point and Wanchai.