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FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1981
ADD IT IONALLY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WOULD HAVE THE POWER TO REVOKE THE LICENCE OF A DEPOSIT-TAK ING COMPANY ON CERTA IN
SPEC IF IED GROUNDS, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT IT APPEARED TO HIM THAT THE COMPANY WAS NOT A FIT AND PROPER BODY TO REMAIN LICENSED.
PUBLIC URGED TO USE LESS WATER
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THE DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, MR WILLIAM TUCKER, TODAY APPEALED TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO EXERCISE ECONOMY IN THE USE OF WATER.
THE APPEAL CAME IN THE LIGHT OF THE CURRENT LOW LEVEL OF WATER STORAGE AND THE BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL FORECAST BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY.
IN THE LIGHT OF THESE FACTORS, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED TO BRING THE LOK ON PAI DESALTING PLANT INTO OPERATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
HE SAID THE AIM WAS TO RE-ACTIVATE THE FIRST UNIT OF THE PLANT BY THE BEGINNING OF MAY WITH THE REMAINING UNITS BEING PHALED INTO OPERATION BY THE END OF AUGUST.
IN A FURTHER EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE PROVISION OF OVERALL RESOURCES, MR TUCKER SAID, A REQUEST HAD ALSO BEEN MADE TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES FOR THE SUPPLY OF ADDITIONAL QUANTITIES OF WATER, AND THE IR REPLY WAS AWAITED.
HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT EVEN WITH THESE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, THERE WAS STILL THE POSSIBILITY OF WATER RESTRICTIONS LATER IN THE YEAR, IF RAINFALL DURING THIS SUMMER WAS INSUFFICIENT.
MR TUCKER SAID: THE OVERALL WATER SITUATION IS QUITE FAIR AT THIS STAGE, BUT THE POSITION IN REGARD TO HONG KONG ISLAND AND THE OUTLYING ISLANDS, INCLUDING LANTAU, DOES GIVE RISE TO SOME CONCERN.
+THIS IS DUE TO THE SMALL STORAGE CAPACITY OF THE ISLAND RESERVOIRS WHICH PROVIDE PART OF THE SUPPLY TO THESE AREAS.+
DESPITE MEASURES INITIATED EARLY LAST YEAR TO REDUCE DRAWOFF FROM THESE RESERVOIRS BY MAXIMISING DELIVERIES OF WATER FROM MAINLAND SOURCES, HE ADDED, THE PRESENT STORAGE WAS STILL DISAPPOINTINGLY LOW.
MR WECKENR