From 74,000 to 43,700 gallons per day, in accordance with the demand, the latter quantity being available from the St. Mary reservoir.
Practically the whole of the water obtainable from the Tai Wan stream was being imported towards the termination of the drought, the total quantity derived from this source being about 23,000,000 gallons, or about one third of the contents of Tai Fu Lam Reservoir. Taking it over the whole period, the average daily supply delivered per head of the population of the cut-off area was 1¾ gallons a day, or about ¾ of a gallon per head per minute.
Sufficient taps were provided to enable the water to be drawn from the tanks as fast as it was pumped into them, each tap being capable of filling a 5-gallon bucket. Four street-watering carts were fitted with taps and brought into service for distributing water in the more distant parts of the cut-off area. Excellent order was maintained at the tanks by soldiers detailed for the purpose by Lt. Col. Leverson, the people being formed into lines and admitted regularly in turn to draw water.
Five large lighters, hired from Messrs. Butterfield and Swire, all of which were fitted with temporary timber...