XN000022-1980-01-28 — Page 2

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 1980

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA TO VISIT HIGH ISLAND RESERVOIR

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WATER FROM THE HIGH ISLAND WATER SCHEME, THE WORLD'S LARGEST MAN-MADE RESERVOIR CARVED OUT FROM THE SEA, WILL START GUSHING THROUGH A MAZE OF TUNNELS ON FEBRUARY 9, WHEN HRH PRINCESS ALEXANDRA PAYS A VISIT TO THE ARTIFICIAL LAKE IN ŠAI KUNG.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS WILL START THE MOTORS WHICH WILL PUMP WATER FROM THE RESERVOIR TO A TREATMENT CENTRE WHERE IT WILL BE FILTERED FOR CONSUMPTION.

THE PRINCESS AND THE HON ANGUS OGILVY WILL ALSO TOUR THE HK$1 348 MILLION WATER SCHEME WHICH HAS A STORAGE CAPACITY OF 273 MILLION CUBIC METRES NEARLY 10 000 TIMES LARGER THAN THE POKFULAM RESERVOIR -- HONG KONG'S FIRST RESERVOIR BROUGHT INTO USE IN 1877.

THE ROYAL COUPLE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED ON THE VISIT BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, AND WILL BE BRIEFED ON THE WATER SCHEME BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR DAVID MCDONALD, AND THE DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, MR WILLIAM TUCKER.

THEY WILL HAVE A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE ENTIRE RESERVOIR WHICH HAS DRAWN WIDE INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM AND WON THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT THE PRESTIGIOUS INGERSOLL RAND ITALIA 1979 PRIZE.

THE AWARD, WHICH DRAWS PUBLIC ATTENTION TO SOCIAL, TECHNICAL AND AESTHETIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN IMPORTANT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, WAS SHARED BY VIANINI SPA, THE PROJECT'S MAJOR CONTRACTOR, AND THÉ CONSULTING ENGINEERS, BINNIE AND PARTNERS.

THE PRINCESS WILL HAVE A CLOSE UP LOOK OF THE TWO MAIN DAMS SPANNING THE EASTERN AND WESTERN APPROACHES OF THE NARROW STRAIT RUNNING BETWEEN AN ISLAND AND THE EASTERN END OF SAI KUNG PENINSULA.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS WILL ALSO SEE THE SPECTACULAR VIEW PRESENTED BY THE 7 000 CONCRETE 'DOLOSSES' EACH WEIGHING 25 000 KILOGRAMS -

COVERING THE SEAWARD FACE OF THE EASTERN COFFERDAM.

THE 'DOLOSSES', WHICH RESEMBLE SHEEP KNUCKLES, ARE DESIGNED TO DISSIPATE THE FORCE OF OCEAN WAVES WHICH AT TIMES CAN REACH HEIGHTS OF ABOUT 12 METRES.

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THE WATER SCHEME WAS CONCEIVED IN THE LATE SIXTIES AFTER PWD ENGINEERS HAD COMPLETED PLOVER COVE THE WORLD'S FIRST FRESH WATER RESERVOIR IN THE SEA..

THE PROJECT BASICALLY INVOLVED DAMMING, DRAINING AND FILLING WITH FRESH WATER A LARGE INLET AT SAI KUNG PENINSULA. IT WAS COMPLETED IN LATE 1978 AND INAUGURATED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, ON NOVEMBER 27, 1978.

FOLLOWING THE GENERAL PATTERN OF PREVIOUS WATER SCHEMES IN HONG KONG. THE HIGH ISLAND PROJECT COMPRISES A RESERVOIR FED FROM A CATCHMENT AREA COVERING THE SURROUNDING HILLS BUT COMPLEMENTED BY EXTENSIVE INDIRECT CATCHMENTS.

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/WATER FROM