Revenue and Expenditure
331. Water accounts were as usual sent out quarterly and supplementary accounts rendered as due. Approximately 266,253 water accounts were dealt with compared with 260,166 in the previous year. The water rates were increased during the year from $0.80 to $1.00 per thousand gallons for domestic and trade supplies and from $2.00 to $3.00 per unit for supplies to shipping and for constructional purposes. The new rates became effective on the 25th March.
Tai Lam Chung Scheme
NEW CONSTRUCTION
332. Progress continued satisfactorily on the outstanding work necessary to complete the Tai Lam Chung Scheme and construction of the last sections of the northern group of catchwaters began. The only major item not in hand was the 30″ main across the Cheung Sha Wan Reclamation. To relieve the severe distribution difficulties in the Sham Shui Po area arising from the lack of this main, it was decided to lay a temporary 18″ main in the road circling the bay. Further details of the work are as follows:
(1) The service reservoirs at Ngau Tau Kok and Lai Chi Kok were completed and put into service, whilst work on the high-level service reservoir at Kau Wa Keng was nearing completion.
(2) Contracts were let for the three remaining sections of the northern group of catchwaters totalling five miles of catchwater and one mile of tunnel. Good progress was made on the first section of the northern group of catchwaters begun last year, and all of the southern group catchwaters were completed except for a section near Castle Peak.
Salt Water Flushing
333. Work on six salt water flushing schemes proceeded satisfactorily; details of the work are as follows:
(1) Cheung Sha Wan
A pump house on the Cheung Sha Wan Reclamation was completed and put into operation to supply flushing water to the Li Cheng Uk, Shek Kip Mei and Tai Hang Tung Resettlement Estates.
Work was nearing completion on a service reservoir at Piper's Hill to serve the So Uk Housing Estate with flushing water. Excavation in rock for a service reservoir at Tai Wo Ping proceeded slowly.
(2) Wong Tai Sin
To supply flushing water to the Lo Fu Ngam and Wong Tai Sin Resettlement Estates, a set of temporary pumps was installed adjacent to the site of the permanent pump house at Kai Tak. In the meantime, the structure of the permanent pump house was completed and mechanical installation commenced. Construction of the Lo Fu Ngam Service Reservoir was nearly finished and the larger Wong Tai Sin Reservoir was excavated and a good start made on the concrete work.
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