XN000022-1972-05-08 — Page 3

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Monday, May 8, 1972

SITE FORMATION FOR DESALTING PLANT

All Works Expected To Be Completed Next Year

Site formation works for Hong Kong's desalting plant, the largest

of its kind in the world, will begin next month.

The $450 million desalter, which will have a daily output of

40 million gallons, will be sited at Star Quarry near the 17 milestone on

Castle Peak Road.

The works include cutting back the existing cliff faces and

reclaiming an area of the seabed.

In addition, two miles of roadworks will be built. About a

quarter of a mile of pipeline will be laid to feed the desalted water

from the plant into Tai Lam Chung Reservoir. This will form part of the

supply system.

Intake works will be constructed to draw in fresh sea water to

the plant. The heavy brine will be discharged through an outfall stretching

about a mile on the seabed.

Marine works will involve putting up a fuel jetty to enable oil

tankers of up to 3,000 tons to berth alongside. A dock will be erected

for unloading the heavy plant.

"It is expected that all these works will be complated by the

end of 1973 so that the first of the desalter's six units can start production

by mid-1974," a spokesman for the Public Works Department said.

He added that all the units should be fully operative by the

end of 1975.

"The site