XN000022-1977-12-21 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1977

WATER RESTRICTIONS GENERALLY CBSERVED BY CONSUMERS

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THE GOVERNMENT IS SATISFIED THAT THE EXISTING WATER RESTRICTIONS ARE BEING GENERALLY OBSERVED BY CONSUMERS, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. DAVID MCDONALD, SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. LI FOOK-WO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID THAT WITH THE MULTITUDE OF HIGH RISE BUILDINGS IN HONG KONG, EACH OF WHICH HAD A ROOF STORAGE TANK, THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE STORED WATER OUTSIDE THE SUPPLY PERIODS WAS EVER PRESENT.

+CONTROL OF SUPPLY FROM THESE TANKS CAN ONLY BE EFFECTED WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE BUILDING MANAGEMENTS,+ MR. MCDONALD SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT LETTERS WERE WRITTEN TO INDIVIDUAL MANAGEMENT BODIES AND AN APPEAL WAS MADE AS PART OF GENERAL PUBLICITY TO SEEK THEIR CO-OPERATION IN OBSERVING THE PRESCRIBED HOURS OF SUPPLY.

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WERE REQUIRED TO OBSERVE THE PRESCRIBED HOURS OF SUPPLY BY A WRITTEN INSTRUCTION, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMPLIANCE RESTING WITH THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION OF EACH DEPARTMENT.

IN ANSWER TO ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE PRESENT WATER STORAGE SITUATION, MR. MCDONALD SAID THAT RESERVOIR STORAGE ON DECEMBER 19 WAS 190.7 MILLION CUBIC METRES OR 41,950 MILLION GALLONS (INCLUDING HIGH ISLAND).

AT THE SAME TIME, THE OUTSTANDING AMOUNT OF WATER TO BE SUPPLIED FROM CHINA FOR THE 1977/78 SUPPLY PERIOD WAS 104.1 MILLION CUBIC METRES OR 22,903 MILLION GALLONS.

THE DESALTER, HE ADDED, WAS IN FULL PRODUCTION WITH AN AVERAGE DAILY RATE OF 0.182 MILLION CUBIC METRES OR 40 MILLION GALLONS.

+WITH THE CONTINUATION OF THE CURRENT LEVEL OF RESTRICTION AND ASSUMING NO SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL IN THE DRY SEASON IT IS ESTIMATED THAT STORAGE ON MAY 1, 1978 WILL BE ABOUT 152.3 MILLION CUBIC METRES OR 33,500 MILLION GALLONS WHICH WILL ONLY BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE STORAGE REQUIRED THEN TO MAINTAIN A FOUR-HOUR DAILY SUPPLY FOR THE SUBSEQUENT PERIOD SHOULD A DROUGHT OCCUR NEXT SUMMER, MR. MCDONALD SAID,

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