N
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1978
+WE ALSO HAVE IN HAND WORKS TO IMPROVE AND EXTEND SALT WATER FLUSHING SUPPLIES IN MANY AREAS.+
MR. TUCKER WENT ON TO DESCRIBE THE BASIC FUNCTION OF THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT WHICH, HE ADDED, IS TO COLLECT, STORE, PURIFY AND DISTRIBUTE POTABLE WATER AND TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE NEW RESOURCES AND INSTALLATIONS TO MAINTAIN A SATISFACTORY STANDARD OF WATER SUPPLY.
ON THE QUALITY OF WATER SUPPLY, HE SAID THAT AFTER PURIFICATION AT THE TREATMENT WORKS THE FINAL SUPPLY CONFORMS TO STRINGENT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF QUALITY RECOMMENDED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION.
MR. TUCKER POINTED OUT TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF THESE STANDARDS OF WATER QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SUPPLY SYSTEM, THE SYSTEM IS CONTINUOUSLY MONITORED BY CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF WATER SAMPLES TAKEN AT INTAKES, STORAGE RESERVOIRS, TREATMENT WORKS, SERVICE RESERVOIRS, DISTRIBUTION MAINS AND CONSUMERS' TAPS.
+OVER 4,000 SUCH SAMPLES ARE LABORATORY TESTED EVERY MONTH, SOME 1,000 BEING TAKEN FROM CONSUMERS' TAPS CHOSEN AT RANDOM.+
REFERRING TO WATER STORAGE, MR. TUCKER SAID THAT WHEN THE HIGH ISLAND WATER SCHEME IS INAUGURATED BY THE GOVERNOR NEXT WEEK, IT WILL BECOME HONG KONG'S 18TH IMPOUNDING RESERVOIR ADDING A FURTHER 274 MILLION CUBIC METRES OF STORAGE, ALMOST DOUBLING THE TOTAL AVAILABLE STORAGE CAPACITY.
THE DIRECTOR ALSO TOUCHED ON SOURCES OF WATER CHINA WATER AND THE LOK ON PAI DESALTING PLANT.
RAINFALL
HE SAID +DESALTING IS DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER SOURCES IN THAT IT IS COMPLETELY WITHIN OUR POWER TO DECIDE WHEN WE WANT TO PRODUCE WATER FROM IT.
+THE DESALTER IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR RESOURCES, BUT IT WILL NOT BE RUN IN PLACE OF ALTERNATIVE CHEAPER SOURCES OF SUPPLY THAT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE.
IT IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE AS CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE AND, AS OUR SYSTEM IS STILL DEPENDENT TO A LARGE EXTENT ON RAINFALL, WE MUST BE ABLE TO REACT TO SHORT TERM DEFICIENCIES BY DESALTER OPERATION.
TO ENSURE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE DESALTER, MR. TUCKER POINTED OUT, TRAINED STAFF MUST BE AVAILABLE AND READY TO RECOMMISSION IT AS AND WHEN NECESSARY.
THE LONG AND COMPLEX PROCESS OF PUTTING THE DESALTER INTO MOTHBALLS IS CURRENTLY IN HAND AND WILL LAST WELL INTO 1979.
STAFF NOT ENGAGED ON THE MAINTENANCE PRIOR TO MOTHBALLING ARE EMPLOYED IN EFFICIENCY STUDIES AT THE DESALTER AND IN OTHER JOBS WITHIN THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT, HE SAID.
/+WE ARE.....