SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1977
WATER SUPPLIES FOR PRIVATE SWIMMING POOLS SUSPENDED ******
WATER SUPPLIES FOR PRIVATE SWIMMING POOLS AND DISPLAY FOUNTAINS ARE TO BE SUSPENDED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT IN VIEW OF THE GROWING THREAT OF WATER RESTRICTIONS.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, THE P.W.D.'S PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT WATER ENGINEER, MR. TOM TOMLINSON SAID THAT AS THERE HAD BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE RESERVOIR STORAGE LEVELS, MAINS SUPPLY FOR NON-ESSENTIAL USES COULD NO LONGER BE MAINTAINED.
+FOR THE SAKE OF FURTHER ECONOMY, IT HAS THEREFORE BEEN DECIDED TO WITHDRAW SUPPLIES EXTENDED ON A CONCESSIONARY BASIS FOR SUCH FACILITIES AS PRIVATE POOLS, MODEL BOAT PONDS, DISPLAY FOUNTAINS AND GARAGES,+ HE SAID.
+THE WITHDRAWAL OF THESE CONCESSIONS, HE SAID, +WILL
NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT THE GENERAL PUBLIC.+
MR. TOMLINSON SAID THAT CONCESSIONARY SUPPLIES TO PUBLIC POOLS AND RECREATIONAL AREAS WOULD BE MAINTAINED FOR THE TIME BEING, BUT HE WARNED THAT THESE TOO COULD BE TERMINATED AT SHORT NOTICE DEPENDING ON THE OVERALL STORAGE POSITION.
*THE LITTLE RAIN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST FEW DAYS HAS HAD VERY LITTLE IMPACT ON THE RESERVOIRS, AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT NOW FOR EVERYONE TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT NOW TO CUT DOWN ON CONSUMPTION AND AVOID WASTE, HE STRESSED.
AT NINE O'CLOCK THIS MORNING, THE RESERVOIRS HELD ONLY 31,097 MILLION GALLONS OR 46.2 PER CENT OF THEIR TOTAL CAPACITY, COMPARED WITH 42,550 MILLION GALLONS OR 63.2 PER CENT AT THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.
MR. TOMLINSON SAID CONCESSIONARY SUPPLIES FOR STREET WASHING WERE ALSO BEING CURTAILED FOR MAXIMUM ECONOMY.
+ INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO SWITCH TO WELL AND STREAM WATER FOR WASHING STREETS AND TO CUT DOWN ON THE USE OF MAINS WATER FOR THIS PURPOSE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID,
MAINS WATER FOR CLEANSING OF PLAYGROUNDS, MARKETS, HAWKER BAZAARS AND REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS WOULD ALSO BE DRASTICALLY CUT BACK WITH MORE USE BEING MADE OF WATER FROM WELLS AND STREAMS.
MR. TOMLINSON EMPHASISED THAT WHILE THESE MEASURES WOULD LEAD TO CONSIDERABLE SAVINGS, HONG KONG COULD NOT AFFORD TO RELAX ITS EFFORTS TO ECONOMISE ON WATER CONSUMPTION.
/+IN FACT