Wednesday, April 7, 1976
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7
LONG NET CHONG RESERVOIR TO BE USED FOR BOATING
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The Government intends to use the Wong Nei Chong reservoir for
boating in an attempt to meet the need for this activity on Hong Kong Island.
This was disclosed by the Secretary for Home Affairs, the Hon.
Denis Bray, in the Legislative Council this afternoon in reply to points
raised by his Unofficial Colleagues during the resumed budget debate.
He said the reservoir was a small one and the loss of its water
would not force Hong Kong to water rationing.
The Water Authority, he added, would disconnect this reservoir
from the water supply system and hand it to the Director of Agriculture and
Fisheries for use as part of a recreation area.
"In the light of this experiment, the Water Authority will also
consider whether boating can be permitted at Tytam Reservoir and at Tai Lan
Chung," Mr. Bray said.
He explained that the need for boating was greater on Hong Kong
Island as there were no sheltered lagoons which were readily accessible to
those living in the urban areas.
On the question of using High Island Reservoir for boating, Mr. Bray
said considerable problems with shore facilities would have to be overcome
inside the reservoir because of the very substantial rise and fall of the
water level.
He said that sheltered sea water in the eastern areas of the New
Territories was better for boating, easier to get at, and easier to develop
for boating than the reservoirs.
/Turning