XN000022-1974-09-11 — Page 3

TOTAL STORAGE CAPACITY

STORAGE THIS TIME LAST YEAR

STORACE TODAY

SHORTFALL BELOW FULL CAPACITY

PERCENTAGE SHORTFALL

STORAGE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1974

67.300 M.G.

65.900 M.G.

37,800 M.G.

29,500 M.G. 44%

THE PHASING AND HOURS OF RESTRICTION

TURNING OFF AND TURNING ON SUPPLY FROM THE MAINS IS NOT AN OPERATION WHICH CAN BE TIMED TO THE MINUTE IN ITS EFFECT ON THE CONSUMER, ALTHOUGH EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO SEE THAT CONTROL IS AS PRECISE AS POSSIBLE. WITH THIS PROVISO, THE HOURLY PERIODS OF SUPPLY DURING THE THREE RESTRICTION PHASES NOW ANNOUNCED WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:

PHASE 1 PHASE 2

PHASE 3

16-HOUR SUPPLY. SUPPLY PERIOD:6 A.M. TO 10 P.M. 10-HOUR SUPPLY. SUPPLY PERIODS: 6 A.M. TO 11 A.M. AND 4 P.M. TO 9 P.M.

4-HOUR SUPPLY. SUPPLY PERIODS: 6 A.M. TO 10 A.M. 07 4 P.M. TO 8 P.M.

IN PHASE 3 SOME AREAS WILL BE ON MORNING SUPPLY AND SOME ON EVENING SUPPLY. DETAILS OF ZONING FOR PHASE 3 VILL BE ANNOUNCED. AND PUBLICISED IN GOOD TIME.

TIMING OF RESTRICTIONS

:

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, IN TIMES OF HIGH STORAGE AND LOW, THE WATERWORKS OFFICE KEEPS UNDER OBSERVATION THE VARYING PROBABILITIES OF ACHIEVING THE NECESSARY STORAGES REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN FULL SUPPLY. THE RECOMMENDATION OF RESTRICTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT WAS BASED ON SUCH CALCULATIONS. TIMING THEREFORE DEPENDS ON A FINELY COMPUTED ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION. ON THE ONE HAND, A PREMATURE RECOMMENDATION, LEADING TO THE INCONVENIENCE OF SHORT-LIVED RESTRICTIONS WHICH MAY IN THE EVENT BE PROVED UNNECESSARY, HAS TO BE AVOIDED. ON THE OTHER HAND, A BELATED RECOMMENDATION CAN LEAD TO MORE SEVERE RESTRICTIONS. IN CHOOSING THE TIMING, THEREFORE, THIS BALANCE HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT,

J.

THE NEED FOR VOLUNTARY ECONOMY

THIS NEED, IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD, IS ABSOLUTE AND UNQUALIFIED. ANY WASTE OF WATER IN HONG KONG MUST BE REGARDED AS A SOCIAL OFFENCE AND ANY VOLUNTARY ACTION TAKEN TO SAVE WATER IS, CORRESPONDINGLY, A GOOD DEED DONE ON THE COMMUNITY'S BEHALF. THE NUED TO SAVE, AND PARTICULARLY TO AVOID ANY WASTE, WILL CONTINUE-- BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE RESTRICTIONS NOW ANNOUNCED.

THE WATERWORKS OFFICE HERE PLACES ON RECORD ITS APPRECIATION OF THE WAY IN WHICH THE COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA HAVE CONVEYED THIS MESSAGE OVER PAST YEARS AND DURING RECENT MONTHS, AS WELL AS ALERTING THE COMMUNITY PROGRESSIVELY TO THE SHORTAGE AS IT HAS DEVELOPED THIS SUMMER.

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