XN000022-1977-05-18 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1977

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+THE STAFF OF THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ALERTED TO THE NEED FOR VIGILANCE, AND THE PUBLIC'S ASSISTANCE HAS ALSO BEEN REQUESTED IN BRINGING TO THE DEPARTMENT'S NOTICE ANY INSTANCES OF WASTAGE,+

MR. MCDONALD SAID THE PROSECUTION UNIT'S ACTIVITIES HAD INCREASED LATELY AS A RESULT OF THE RECENT SECONDMENT TO IT OF ADDITIONAL STAFF.

+FOR THE PRESENT, HE SAID, THESE CONTROLS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ADEQUATE ALTHOUGH THEY ARE KEPT UNDER CONSTANT REVIE»,+

REPLYING TO A QUESTION ASKED BY DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG ON BEHALF OF HIS UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUE THE HON, LYDIA DUNN, MR. MCDONALD TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE OPERATIONS OF THE LOK ON PAI DESALTER WOULD HALVE THE SEVERITY OF POSSIBLE WATER RESTRICTIONS DURING THE NEXT DRY SEASON.

HE SAID THAT IF RAINFALL DURING THE SUMMER WAS NINE PER CENT BELOW AVERAGE -- AS FORECAST BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY -- SUPPLY WOULD BE LIMITED TO ABOUT 16 HOURS A DAY THROUGHOUT THE DRY SEASON,

+WITHOUT THE DESALTER CONTRIBUTION, RESTRICTIONS DURING THE DRY SEASON WOULD BE MORE SEVERE, WITH SUPPLY BEING REDUCED TO ABOUT EIGHT HOURS PER DAY,+ HE SAID,

MR. MCDONALD SAID THAT DURING THE 12-MONTH PERIOD ENDING APRIL 30, 1978 THE DESALTER COULD CONTRIBUTE 10,700 MILLION GALLONS TO HONG KONG'S OVERALL WATER RESOURCES.

IN REPLY TO A SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION ABOUT FUTURE PLANS FOR INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF THE DESALTER, MR. MCDONALD SAID: +IN DUE COURSE THE INTENTION WOULD BE TO INCREASE THE PRESENT DESALTER UNIT FROM A 40 MILLION GALLON PER DAY OUTPUT TO A 60 MILLION GALLON PER DAY OUTPUT.+

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