11.62 Preliminary investigations were also carried out on the water supply problems associated with proposed developments at Tuen Mun New Town, Lau Fau Shan, Tan Kwai Tsuen, Kau Wah Keng and Tai Wo Tsuen.
MECHANICAL DIVISION
Chief Engineer:
LI Chuen, C.Eng., M.R.Ae.S., M.I.Mech.E.(Acting)
General
11.63 The Division is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all waterworks mechanical plant and equipment and for the design, procurement, installation and commissioning of the mechanical component of all new waterworks plant except for plant associated with the Plover Cove and High Island Water Schemes and the desalting project.
11.64
Two workshops, one on the Island and one in Kowloon, provided support for maintenance activities including emergency work, together with manufacturing facilities for special new works items. The workshops are equipped with the latest machine tools and staffed by fitters, welders, machine tool operators, platers, blacksmiths, coppersmiths and pattern makers. In addition to the two main workshops, a meter repair workshop situated at Yau Tong undertakes the maintenance of domestic water meters. More than 31,900 water meters and 130 engines and pumps were overhauled during the year. Details of other works carried out in workshops, meter repair shops and by this Division generally are given in Appendix CC.
Operation and Maintenance
11.65 The curtailment of necessary maintenance activities and operational standards in the preceding two years resulted in a higher rate of equipment failure. From June to October, much of the scheduled and unscheduled maintenance work was either abandoned or deferred because of the effort channelled into the installation of additional pumping facilities at Muk Wu in connection with the reception of additional water supplies from China.
11.66
Pumping plant installed on the floating pumping station in Plover Cove Reservoir was removed and the station moved to a new shelter position, as the hull of the barge was no longer sea-worthy and it was thought that the plant was unlikely to be required for further pumping duties. A new automatic pumping station - Lai Chi Kok Fresh Water Pumping Station - for supplying water to the housing estates in the Lai Chi Kok Ridge area, was commissioned and taken over for maintenance. Two uprating pumpsets at Tai Mei Tuk pumping station were taken over from the consultants for operation and maintenance.
11.67 At River Indus Pumping Station, a surge vessel for the protection of a 1372 mm diameter delivery main had been in a damaged condition since 1969 due to the inability of the vessel to withstand vacuum conditions. The design of the vessel was modified by the addition of reinforcing rings. The repair and modification were successfully completed and the vessel was recommissioned.
Page 139