1.18 Although rainfall was above average the wet season ended with a storage position in relation to demand only slightly more favourable than the previous year's. A continuous 24 hour water supply was maintained throughout the year.
1.19 Work continued on the construction of access roads and the tunnels and intake complex for the High Island Water Scheme. The contract for the 60,000 million gallon reservoir works was awarded and work commenced. Scheduled progress was maintained on the raising of the Plover Cove dams and the extension of Sha Tin treatment works and Tai Po Tau pumping station. Contracts were awarded and work was well in hand for the site formation, marine and general civil engineering works for the 40 million gallons per day single purpose desalting plant. Supply and erection of the plant proper was contracted to a manufacturer in Japan, where fabrication started.
ORGANIZATION
1.20 The Department combines many functions which in other territories would be undertaken by a number of agencies viz:
Building
(a) The design and construction of Government buildings
(b) The control of private development
Engineering
(a) Civil Engineering
(b) Highway Construction and Traffic Engineering
(c) Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
(d) Railway Engineering including the Mass Transit
Land
(a) The disposal of Crown land
(b) Land Surveying
(c) Town Planning
Water
(a) Design and construction of traditional impounding and purification works together with desalination plants and the distribution and sale of fresh and sea water.
1.21 The organization chart showing the division of the Department into a Headquarters, seven Offices, the New Territories Development Department and the Mass Transit Department is on page viii. The object of the organization is to decentralize wherever possible so
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