XN000022-1974-09-03 — Page 3

2

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1974

THE TASK HAS THEREFORE BEEN TO CATCH THIS WATER AND STORE IT. AND THROUGH THE YEARS HONG KONG'S STORACE CAPACITY HAD GONE UP FROM 66 MILLION GALLONS IN 1877 TO 6,000 MILLION GALLONS IN 1936, THEN TO 16,000 HILLION GALLONS IN 1953, AND TO 67,000 HILLION GALLONS IN 1973-

BY 1979, THE TOTAL STORAGE CAPACITY SHOULD REACH 128,000 MILLION GALLONS WHEN THE HIGH ISLAND WATER SCHEME IS COMPLETED.

MR. KNIGHT SAID THAT, IN FACT, THE PRESENT SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY SERIOUS HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE FORESIGHT IN PLANNING. IN PARTICULAR, THE PLOVER COVE EXTENSION WAS FINISHED IN TIME TO BENIFIT FROM AUGUST RATES, GIVING US A VITAL EXTRA 13,000 MILLION GALLONS III STORE.

HOWEVER, WITH THE HIGH ISLAND WATER SCHEME HONG KONG HAD REACHED THE END OF THE ROAD AS FAR AS BUILDING MORE CONVENTIONAL RESERVOIRS WAS CONCERNED AS THERE WERE NO HORE CATCHMENT AREAS AND ADEQUATE LAID LEFT.

BUT THIS TOO HAD BEEN FORESEEN AND SERIOUS PLANNING ON OBTAINING FRESH WATER FROM THE SEA BEGAN AS FAR BACK AS 1963. EARLY NEXT YEAR THE FIRST SIX UNITS OF THE DESALTER PLANT WILL COME INTO OPERATION AND, ALTHOUGH THE DESALTED WATER WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ORIGINALLY ENVISAGED DECAUSE OF INCREASED COSTS, IT WILL STILL BE ESSENTIAL TO OUR SUPPLIES.

THE PLANT, WHEN FULLY COMPLETED, WILL PRODUCE 40 MILLION GALLONS OF FRESH WATER A DAY AND WILL BE IMPORTANT IN TWO RESPECTS, SAID MR. KNIGHT.

+ IN THE SHORT TERM, IT IS NEEDED URGENTLY TO HELP BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN TODAY'S RESOURCES AND THE COMMENCEMENT OF YIELD FROM HIGH ISLAND. IN THE LONG TERM IT IS THE START OF A PROCESS OF DESALTER BUILDING WHICH COULD EXTEND LONG INTO THE FUTURE AND ON WHICH HONG KONG WOULD HAVE TO DEFEND FOR FURTHER MAJOR EXTENSIONS TO SUPPLY,+ HE SAID.

13