CO129-519-1 Estimates for 1930 5-9-1929 - 14-11-1929 — Page 99

HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL;

For many months past our principal anxiety has been the very serious water shortage in the Colony, and especially on Hong Kong island, due to an abnormally low rainfall. This water emer- gency arose in spite of the fact that all the storage reservoirs of the Colony overflowed in 1928. The last dates in that year when the reservoirs on Hong Kong island stood at overflow-level were as follows: Wong-nai-ch'ung 4th June, Pok-fu-lam 5th June, Tytam Byewash 13th June, Tytam 16th June, Tytam-tuk 28th July and Tytam Intermediate 17th November. On the mainland, in 1928, Shek-lai-pui reservoir last stood at overflow-level on the 8th September and Kowloon reservoir on the 28th November. But the rainfall for the second half of 1928 was only 22.89 inches-the lowest ever recorded; and the rainfall from the beginning of this year to the 12th July last, when the drought may be said to have ended, was only 15.76 inches, making a total of 38.65 inches during a period of a little over twelve months. The lowest rainfall ever previously recorded in this Colony for twelve consecutive months was 45.83 inches in 1895. The recent drought was, therefore, much the most severe in the Colony's history and its effect was such that on the 11th July, 1929, when our island reservoirs were at their lowest, the total water storage in Hong Kong was only 150 million gallons, while on the 8th June, 1929, when our mainland reservoirs were at their lowest, the total water storage in Kowloon was only 79 million gallons. This means that the island and mainland reservoirs were so depleted that no more than 7% and 15% respectively of their aggregate capacities remained in storage. Since the 12th July last we have fortunately had heavy rains and our anxieties have been somewhat relieved. But it has been brought home to every resident in this Colony in an unmistakable manner that our water problem is the most pressing and the most important of our domestic problems; and it is quite clear to all of us that an adequate solution of this problem is imperative. Therefore, as a preliminary to our deliberations over next year's budget, I wish to place before you the history in brief outline of the Colony's waterworks, a description of our present position with respect to water supply, and a statement of the waterworks' policy which we intend to pursue in the near future and of the goal we aim at.

The construction of residential and business premises on Hong Kong island began in March, 1841, when Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Company erected the first substantial house and godowns at East Point. The mercantile centre of the Colony was at the outset in Wong-nai-ch'ung valley and Chinese settlement began to the west of that valley. The water supply for these early settlers came from the fine mountain-stream which gives the valley its name, and which makes its way into the harbour through what is now known as the Bowrington Canal. The so-called Blue Pool in this stream provided a small storage; and it is interesting to note that during the recent water emergency this pool, which

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