'Wanda' on the 1st September, some of the Island's reservoirs were overflowing and a 24-hour supply was given to the areas supplied by them. On the 15th September, the hours of supply were set at 4 per day and maintained throughout the winter.
10.05. A full supply was given during Christmas and New Year. Over Chinese New Year, full supply was given throughout the Colony from 3 p.m. on the 24th to 6 a.m. on the 27th of January. Chinese New Year's Day was on 25th January. Consumption over these periods showed increases of between 10% - 11% compared with last year.
SUPPLY
Rainfall
10.06. Rainfall statistics for the year included some interesting, but, from the Waterworks point of view, most unsatisfactory figures. Total rainfall recorded at the Royal Observatory was 65.41″, which is 19.33″ below the average of 84.74″. The average of the 15 rain gauges located within the Waterworks catchment gave 63.37″ for the year. Rainfall for the months of July and August was 9.55″, the lowest ever recorded; and in spite of typhoon 'Wanda', the figure for the quarter ending 30th September was only 27.5″, which was 12.42″ below average.
Sham Chun and Indus River Water
10.07. It is normal to stop pumping as soon as summer rains can be expected to fill the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir, but this year pumping continued throughout the year. A total quantity of 9,448 million gallons was received, compared with 5,901 for the previous year. Extraction from the River Indus fell from 425 million gallons in 1961-62 to 397 million gallons for this year. There is no doubt that but for the very considerable additional water from China, supply on alternate days only would have been necessary for the majority of the winter.
Storage
10.08. Water in the impounding reservoirs at the various dates was as follows:
Date Quantity in million gallons Remarks 1st April, 1962 4,263 41% full 1st July, 1962 7,535 72% full 1st October, 1962 9,233 88.5% full 1st January, 1963 7,420 71.2% full 31st March, 1963 5,355 51.5% full61