WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1973
GOVERNMENT TO PROEE MEANS OF
INCREASING WATER RESOURCES
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THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING A FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION OF ALL FEASIBLE METHODS OF OBTAINING WATER INTERNALLY WHICH ARE CHEAPER THAN BY DESALTING SEA WATER AND AT THE SAME TIME INTENDS TO SEEK DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO OBTAIN FURTHER WATER SUPPLIES.
THIS WAS REVEALED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON, DEREK JONES AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
MR. JONES SAID A SUBMISSION ON THESE INVESTIGATIONS WOULD SHORTLY BE MADE TO THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL AND IF APPROVED, THEY ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE SOME TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE.
HE SAID IT WOULD THEN BE POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE BEST SEQUENCE OF DEVELOPMENT TO MEET OUR FUTURE WATER REQUIREMENTS.
MR. JONES POINTED OUT THAT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF UNRESTRICTED DEMAND FOR WATER IS ABOUT 100,000 MILLION GALLONS A YEAR, AND IT IS ESTIMATED THAT IN TEN YEARS TIME UNRESTRICTED DEMAND WILL HAVE RISEN BY MORE THAN THREE QUARTERS TO 176,000 MILLION GALLONS.
HE AGREED WITH THE HON. SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG'S SUGGESTION THAT MORE WATER SUPPLY FROM CHINA WOULD BE A MOST VALUABLE SOURCE TO MEET OUR FUTURE WATER REQUIREMENT.
HOWEVER HE HESITATED THAT IT WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO SOLVE ALL OUR WATER PROBLEMS.
MR. JONES SAID THE GOVERNMENT HOPED TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY FROM CHINA TO 37,000 MILLION GALLONS A YEAR FROM OCTOBER 1, NEXT YEAR WHEN OUR INSTALLATIONS WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THIS QUANTITY.
BUT HE SAID THAT TO ENABLE YET MORE TO BE SUPPLIED WOULD REQUIRE FURTHER MAJOR WORKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER TO INSTALL NEW PIPES AND PUMPING STATIONS AND THIS WOULD OF COURSE TAKE TIME TO ARRANGE AND CARRY OUT.
HE ASSURED SIR SZE-YUEN THAT IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO SEEK DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES LITH A VIEW TO OBTAINING FURTHER SUPPLIES.
HOWEVER HE SAID EVEN IF LE COULD DOUBLE OUR SUPPLIES FROM CHINA OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS (AN EXTRA 27,000 MILLICO GALLONS A YEAR) WE WOULD STILL NEED A FURTHER 40,000 MILLION GALLONS A YEAR HALF OF HAT WE ATE SCUBỪ ING HOW A YEAR -
- TO MEET OUR DEMAND IN 1988.
/+SO IT IS