XN000022-1981-08-20 — Page 2

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1981

WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK

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HONG KONG'S WATER SUPPLY OUTLOOK STILL DEPENDED HEAVILY ON THE RAINFALL TO BE RECEIVED IN THE REMAINDER OF THE WET SEASON, THE DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, MR WILLIAM TUCKER, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

ADDRESSING THE LIONS CLUB OF CASTLE PEAK, MR TUCKER SAID THAT A HEAVY RAINSTORM OR RAINSTORMS COULD CHANGE THE PICTURE MATERIALLY.

+THERE IS STILL SUFFICIENT OF THE WET SEASON LEFT TO EXPECT IMPROVEMENT IN THE STORAGE POSITION AND SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE DEPRESSIONS WHICH APPEAR TO FORM WITH REGULARITY IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA WILL DECIDE TO GRACE OUR SHORES IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE, HE SAID.

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MAY, HONG KONG HAD RECEIVED 797 MILLIMETRES OF RAIN COMPARED WITH THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY MEDIAN FORECAST FROM MAY TO OCTOBER OF 1 440 MILLIMETRES, MR TUCKER SAID.

+WE THEREFORE HAVE SOME LEEWAY TO MAKE UP BEFORE WE REACH THE MEDIAN VALUE OF THE FORECAST, WHICH IS ITSELF ONLY 76 PER CENT OF THE LONG TERM AVERAGE FOR THE PERIOD.+

MR TUCKER REPEATED THE ASSURANCE HE GAVE EARLIER THIS MONTH THAT A FULL WATER SUPPLY WOULD BE MAINTAINED UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER, AND THAT THE WATER POSITION WOULD BE FULLY REVIEWED EARLY IN SEPTEMBER.

THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DESALTER AT LOK ON PAI MIGHT HAVE TO BE OPERATED DURING THE COMING WINTER.

*THE PLANT IS BEING PREPARED ACCORDINGLY FOR OPERATION IN OCTOBER, SHOULD THIS PROVE TO BE NECESSARY,+ HE SAID.

+A LOT WILL DEPEND ON THE RAINFALL RECEIVED IN THE REMAINDER OF THE WET SEASON, AS THIS WILL DETERMINE NOT ONLY WHETHER THE DE SALTER HAS TO BE REACTIVATED, BUT ALSO THE LEVEL OF SUPPLY THAT CAN BE SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE WINTER SO THAT WE DO NOT ENTER THE NEXT WET SEASON WITH AN UNACCEPTABLY LOW STORAGE.+

MR TUCKER SAID THAT THE DESALTER, OPERATING AT FULL CAPACITY, COULD PRODUCE 182 000 CUBIC METRES OF FRESH WATER A DAY, OR ABOUT 12 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S CURRENT CONSUMPTION.

BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH OPERATING COST, THE DESALTER WAS BROUGHT INTO OPERATION ONLY WHEN THE NEED WAS IMPERATIVE, MR TUCKER SAID.

+BUT WHAT IS LESS WELL UNDERSTOOD IS THAT IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL YIELD OF OUR SYSTEM EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT OPERATING. THIS IS BECAUSE THE CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS CAN BE OPERATED AT GREATER EFFICIENCY OR GREATER RISK, IF YOU PREFER - IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE DESALTER IS AVAILABLE FOR OPERATION IF NECESSARY.+

/TURNING TO