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carried out on roads and reclamation, and all authorities agree that large additions to the population on the mainland in the near future must be expected.
Until recently, the only organised water supplies available in the Kowloon Territories were derived from two reservoirs, at Kowloon and Shek-li-Pui respec- tively. It became evident that the capacity of these reservoirs, with an output of 2-5 million gallons per day, would soon be quite inadequate for the rapidly increasing population, and a new water supply scheme, commonly referred to as the first section of the Shing Mun scheme,' was undertaken. This work is now completed, with the exception of the construction of cross-harbour pipes to Hong Kong Island, which were advocated in order to make the additional water supplies available also for that part of the Colony. It involved the construction of a small "intake the main elbow of the Shing Mun River, and the construction of an aqueduct through two fairly large tunnels, the water being finally brought by pipe to the Kowloon promontory. No real reservoir has yet been built, and the population has not been evacuated from the valley, although schemes for displacing the 5,000 persons involved to other parts of the Colony have been drawn up.
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The first section of the Shing Mun scheme is estimated to produce 2.5 million gallons per day. The total existing water supply on the mainland, therefore. amounts to approximately 5 million gallons per day.
The Director of Public Works has forecasted that consumption in the leased territory for 1932 will be 4-9 million gallons per day.
It is therefore clear that after that date no appreciable quantity of water would he available for conveyance to Hong Kong Island by means of the cross-harbour pipes referred to above, unless the Shing Mun system is further developed. Second and third stages of development of this system have in consequence been planned, and are briefly described in the following paragraphs.
3. Alternative Schemes for Improving Water Supply.
It has only been possible to give a full continuous water supply to the City of Hong Kong during 3 of the past 20 years, and during periods of drought shortage of water on the Island has caused much anxiety.
In addition, as already stated, it has become clear that some increase in the population on the Island, and very considerable additions to the population on the Mainland, must be expected.
The following schemes for improving the water supply have, therefore, heen proposed :-
(a.) The Aberdeen Scheme.
This is a scheme for increasing the water supply on Hong Kong Island itself, by acquiring the existing paper mill reservoir in the Aberdeen Valley, building an additional one, and arranging for the water to be piped to the western part of the city. The scheme, which is estimated to cost about 3 million dollars, would take 3 years to complete and would increase the water supply on the Island by about 2.12 million gallons per day.
The advantages claimed for this scheme are that its completion would mean that the resources of the Island itself had been developed to the fullest possible extent, a check would be placed on further increases in the population of the Island, as occupation of the Aberdeen Valley for residential purposes would be prevented, and the water problem of the Island, and particularly of the western end of the city, would be largely though not entirely solved independently of developments on the Mainland.
The Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council are, however, at present unanimously opposed to the scheme on the grounds that it would not completely remedy the water situation on the Island, whereas this could be done by drawing water from the Mainland, where, in any case, the water supply systems must inevitably be largely developed in order to cope with the ever-increasing needs of the growing population.
(b.) Shing Mun Valley Scheme-1st Section.
This scheme, which has been described in para. 2 (b) above, included the construction of a pipeline under the harbour from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island in
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order that the water might be made available for the latter in time of drought. The work on the pipeline and on the reservoir in Hong Kong Island is, however, in abeyance. A difference of technical opinion exists as to whether the pipeline should be laid singly or in duplicate, and whether it should be laid on the bed of the harbour or sunk into the bed. The difference in cost would be very considerable, engineers having estimated that sunken pipes might cost 2,000,000 dollars as compared with 300,000,
While the 1st section of the Shing Mun scheme ensures an adequate water supply for the mainland during the next 4 or 5 years, it is estimated that in 1929 the amount available for Hong Kong Island would be only 820,000 gallons per day, and in 1932 only 100,000 gallons per day.
It is therefore clear that in any case the Shing Mun valley system will have to be further developed before long.
(c.) Shing Mun Valley Scheme 2nd Section.
This scheme provides for the construction of actual reservoirs in the valley of the Shing Mun river at the last bend near Tide Cove. The cost has been estimated
at 4,750,000 dollars, but the actual water capacity is not known.
(d.) Shing Mun Valley Scheme-3rd Section.
This is a project for constructing a further reservoir near Shing Mun village.
4. In a telegram dated the 25th September, 1928, the Secretary of State for the Colonies authorised the Colony to proceed at once with the Aberdeen scheme and to complete the first section of the Shing Mun scheme (including the construc- tion of the cross harbour pipeline). This has not, however, been done, owing to the attitude of the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council, who are strongly opposed to the Aberdeen scheme and favour completing the pipeline and proceeding with the second section of the Shing Mun valley scheme.
5. While the Committee acknowledge that the peace time requirements of both the Island and the Mainland territories could be met by further development of the Shing Mun valley system and the construction of the cross harbour pipes, they venture to suggest that, in considering the water supply problem of an important Imperial Fortress like Hong Kong, the defence aspect of the situation cannot be ignored.
6. Although the probability of an outbreak of war is fortunately, at present. remote, the possibility of it occurring cannot be ruled out, and, in the opinion of the Committee, it is of vital importance to insure that the security of the Colony is not compromised by the risk of a shortage of water in time of investment.
A war with either China or Japan would almost inevitably involve an attack over the land frontier, and the whole scheme of defence must be based on the ability of the Colony to hold out with the small garrison likely to be available on the outbreak of war until reinforcements arrive.
7. The size of the garrison renders it impossible to hope that any effective resistance could be organised further north than the Gin Drinker's Bay-Tide Cove line. The whole of the Shing Mun valley water system would in such circumstances be outside the defended area, and, unless the Aberdeen scheme is proceeded with, Hong Kong Island would be dependent on its present inadequate and precarious water supply, while Kowloon could only draw water from the Kowloon and Shek-Li-Pui reservoirs.
An exodus of part of the Chinese population might no doubt take place in the event of hostilities, but, owing to the impossibility of being able to forecast the scale on which it would occur, it would appear dangerous to assume that the water situation would thereby be relieved to any appreciable extent.
If war broke out at a time when the existing reservoirs on Hong Kong Island were low, the resulting situation might therefore be extremely serious--the shortage of water might, in fact, seriously prejudice the chances of a successful defence during the period before relief.
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