XN000022-1977-06-28 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1977,

FURTHER WATER RESTRICTIONS FROM NEXT TUESDAY

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REDUCING

THE SECOND PHASE OF HONG KONG'S WATER RESTRICTIONS SUPPLY TO TEN HOURS A DAY - WILL COME INTO FORCE NEXT TUESDAY (JULY 5).

ANNOUNCING THIS AT TODAY'S LUNCHEON OF THE KIWANIS

CLUB IN CENTRAL. THE P.W.D.'S DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, MR. WILLIAM TUCKER, SAID THE REDUCED SUPPLY WOULD BE DIVIDED BETWEEN A FOUR-HOUR MORNING PERIOD AND A SIX-HOUR EVENING PERIOD.

THE MORNING HOURS OF SUPPLY WOULD BE FROM 6 A.M. TO 10 A.M. WITH THE SECOND SUPPLY PERIOD COMING BETWEEN 4 AND 10 IN THE EVENING.

MR. TUCKER SAID THE DELIVERY HOURS HAD BEEN SELECTED

IN CONSULTATION WITH THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH AS THE MOST CONVENIENT FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC.

THEY WOULD REMAIN IN FORCE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

+AS IN THE FIRST PHASE OF RESTRICTIONS, A 24-HOUR SUPPLY WILL BE MAINTAINTED TO INDUSTRIAL AREAS,+ MR. TUCKER SAID. + IF INDUSTRIALISTS OUTSIDE THESE AREAS EXPERIENCE ANY PROBLEMS, THEY MAY RING 5-225011 EXT. 2808, THE LINE ESTABLISHED FOR THIS PURPOSE ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FIRST PHASE OF RESTRICTIONS.+

MR. TUCKER SAID THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SECOND STAGE OF THE RESTRICTIONS HAD BEEN DELAYED AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, BUT FURTHER DELAY WOULD BE UNWISE.

HE SAID ANOTHER 5,000 MILLION GALLONS WERE NEEDED IN THE RESERVOIRS IF THE SECOND STAGE OF RESTRICTIONS WERE TO BE POSTPONED ANY FURTHER.

TO ACHIEVE THIS NOW, EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINSTORMS WOULD BE NEEDED BY THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK, AND ON PRESENT

- PREDICTIONS THE PROSPECTS OF OBTAINING THIS AMOUNT OF WATER WHICH WOULD BRING RESERVOIRS LEVELS TO ABOUT 35,000 MILLION GALLONS — WERE REMOTE.

WITHOUT 35,000 MILLION GALLONS IN THE RESERVOIRS BY NEXT MONDAY, THE SECOND STAGE OF RESTRICTIONS WOULD BE INEVITABLE.

MR. TUCKER SAID THAT THE FIRST STAGE RESTRICTIONS INTRODUCED AT THE BEGINNING OF JUNE, TOGETHER WITH THE RESPONSE OF THE PUBLIC TO THE SAVE WATER+ CAMPAIGN, HAD ACHIEVED THE 10 PER CENT REDUCTION IN JUNE CONSUMPTION AIMED FOR IN THE LIGHT OF THE SITUATION AS IT STOOD AT THE END OF MAY.

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/BUT AT THAT