193. Owing to shortage of staff no major improvement schemes were started during the year, the available staff being required for maintenance of the supply. Further surveys and borings, however, were carried out in connexion with the proposed Tai Lam Chung scheme.
194. The Waterworks continued to be administered on supporting basis and in spite of rising costs, continued to show a profit without any increase in water charge.
SUPPLY.
195. Rainfall. Rainfall for the year as recorded at the Royal Observatory was 83.49 inches, 0.77 inches less than the average for the period 1884-1938. The rainfall on the Waterworks catchment areas, however, varied from 46.36 inches at Yuen Long to 101.02 inches at Shing Mun.
196. Consumption. The total consumption of water from the Waterworks excluding the 317 million gallons supplied by the New Territories village works was 12,226 million gallons, or a daily average of 33.5 million gallons. This was only 0.15 million gallons per day less than last year although the hours of supply were reduced by almost 13% and is more than accounted for by the savings due to Waste Detection. The reduction in the total supply was reflected in a slightly better storage position at the end of the year with which to commence the critical months of April and May.
197. Storage.
Details of storage in the impounding reservoirs are as follows:
Date Storage in Million Gallons Remarks 1st April 1950 2,406 This was considered dangerously low. 1st April 1951 2,483 More drastic restrictions and savings from Waste Detection. 21st April 1950 1,985.69 Minimum for year. 12th, 13th & 14th August 1950, 6th October 1950. 5,970.80 Maximum possible storage. (All reservoirs full) on 4 days only. On 100 days between 14th June and 17th October, One or more reservoirs were overflowing to waste.32
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