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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1983
WATER TUNNEL BREAKTHROUGH CELEBRATED
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CONSTRUCTION OF A WATER TUNNEL FROM TSING TAM TO YAU KOM TAU IN TSUEN WAN, THE LONGEST OF ITS TYPE SO FAR DRIVEN IN HONG KONG BY WORKING FROM ONLY TWO FACES, HAS REACHED AN IMPORTANT STATE WITH THE BREAKTHROUGH OF THE 5 200-MÈTRE TUNNEL.
AT A CEREMONY HELD AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE IN YAU KOM TAU TODAY, THE DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, MR TOM TOMLINSON, FIRED THE FINAL EXPLOSIVE CHARGE.
MR TOMLINSON PRAISED THE CONTRACTOR, PAUL Y CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD. FOR THEIR SPEED AND EFFICIENCY IN COMPLETING THE TUNNELLING WORK.
THE TUNNEL, WHICH WILL DELIVER WATER FROM CHINA TO A NEW TREATMENT WORKS AT YAU KOM TAU, IS PART OF A $105-MILLION CONTRACT AWARDED TO THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN SEPTEMBER 1981 WHICH ALSO INCLUDED THE SITE FORMATION FOR THE NEW TREATMENT WORKS.
THE TUNNEL IS 2.5 METRES IN DIAMETER, AND SOME 50 000 CUBIC METRES OF ROCK HAVE BEEN BLASTED AND REMOVED FROM IT, WORKING FROM THE TWO ENDS - ONE AT TSING TAM AND THE OTHER AT YAU KOM TAU.
A TOTAL OF 930 000 CUBIC METRES OF SOIL HAS ALSO BEEN EXCAVATED FOR SITE FORMATION FOR THE TREATMENT WORKS.
WITH THE COMPLETION OF TUNNEL DRIVING, WORK WILL BEGIN ON THE CONCRETE LINING TO THE TUNNEL. A CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TREATMENT WORKS WILL BE LET LATER THIS MONTH FOR COMPLETION BY MAY 1985, MR TOMLINSON SAID.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE SCHEME IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL SUPPLY OF 250 000 CUBIC METRES PER DAY OF TREATED WATER TO THE TSUEN WAN AREA, TO MEET INCREASING DEMAND.
COMMENTING ON THE PRESENT WATER SITUATION, MR TOMLINSON SAID THAT THE TOTAL STORAGE IN THE 17 RESERVOIRS IS NOW 98 PER CENT OF CAPACITY.
+ IN VIEW OF THE FAVOURABLE STORAGE SITUATION AND WATER FROM CHINA, FULL SUPPLY WILL BE CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE DRY SEASON, HE ADDED.
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