Thursday, March 7, 1974
The outer of the two coffer dans will be used, after the completion
of the main dan, to form the permanent breakwater.
The High Island Water Scheme is the largest conventional reservoir
built by the government. With the alternative of desalting plants, it is
also the last because consulting engineers, Messrs. Binnie and Partners of
London, have pointed out that there are no further watersheds for major
reservoirs.
For the present scheme, water is trapped within a wide-covering
catchment area and fed into the reservoir; but only to the extent it does
not deprive farmers of water for irrigation and other uses.
There will be 4.5 miles of catchwaters, and some 25 miles of tunnels
to carry the water to the reservoir, to transfer water from High Island to
the Sha Tin Treatment Works, and to carry water between High Island and Plover
Cove by way of Lower Shing Mun Reservoir.
When the water has been treated at the Sha Tin Works - the handling
capacity of which has been greatly expanded for the scheme it will be
taken to urban areas in Kowloon through a duplicate Lion Rock Tunnel which
will also carry road traffic.
Storing of water is expected to begin in 1976. When full, High
Island reservoir will have a capacity of 60,000 million gallons, or some 70
percent of the existing 17 reservoirs put together,
Note to Editors:
Copies of a photograph taken during the
Governor's visit are boxed for collection.
17