XN000022-1977-06-23 — Page 2

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1977

A LOT MORE RAIN NEEDED TO STAVE OFF FURTHER RESTRICTIONS

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THE RAIN OF THE PAST 24 HOURS HAS ADDED 389 MILLION GALLONS TO HONG KONG'S DEPLETED WATER RESERVES THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT ONE-AND-A-HALF DAY'S CONSUMPTION.

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THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT WATER ENGINEER, MR. TOM TOML INSON SAID TODAY THAT IN THE 24 HOURS UP TO 9 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY HAD RECORDED ABOUT 80 MM OF RAIN.

+THE SAME AMOUNT FELL ON PLOVER COVE CATCHMENT, HE SAID, +BUT UNFORTUNATELY TWO OF THE OTHER BIGGEST RESERVOIRS - SHEK PIK ON LANTAU AND TAI LAM CHUNG IN THE NEW TERRITORIES - RECORDED LESS THAN A QUARTER OF THIS AMOUNT.+

MR. TOMLINSON SAID THAT SINCE WATER RESTRICTIONS WERE INTRODUCED ON JUNE 1, THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY HAD RECORDED A TOTAL OF 167.9 MM OF RAIN, AND THIS HAD PRODUCED A YIELD OF ABOUT 1000 MILLION GALLONS.

+THIS IS NOT MUCH MORE THAN FOUR DAYS' CONSUMPTION UNDER THE PRESENT RESTRICTIONS ON SUPPLY, HE SAID.

AT 9 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING THE WATER SUPPLY DEPARTMENT'S 17 RESERVOIRS HELD A TOTAL OF 29,761 MILLION GALLONS, WHICH IS 44.2 PER CENT OF THE IR TOTAL CAPACITY.

→WE'RE GOING TO NEED A LOT MORE WATER IN STORAGE THAN THIS IF WE ARE TO STAVE OFF FURTHER RESTRICTIONS, + HE SAID.

MR. TOMLINSON SAID THAT AT THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR THE AMOUNT OF WATER IN STORAGE HAD BEEN 53,240 MILLION GALLONS - OR 79.1 PER CENT OF TOTAL CAPACITY.

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