XN000022-1981-10-09 — Page 2

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1981

FEW PROBLEMS AS WATER RESTRICTIONS START

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HONG KONG WENT THROUGH ITS FIRST NIGHT OF WATER RESTRICTIONS YESTERDAY WITH RELATIVELY FEW PROBLEMS.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY BY THE DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES,

MR WILLIAM TUCKER, FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCHING OF THE FIRST PHASE OF WATER RESTRICTIONS.

HE SAID THAT ON THE WHOLE THERE SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN LITTLE INCONVENIENCE, EXCEPT IN A FEW ISOLATED CASES,

MR TUCKER SAID THAT AS IN THE PAST, A NUMBER OF REPORTS WERE RECEIVED FROM PEOPLE IN HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS WHO FOUND THEIR TAPS RUNNING OUT EVEN BEFORE SUPPLIES WERE SWITCHED OFF AT 10 PM.

THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS, HE SAID, WAS PROBABLY OVER-REACTION ON THE PART OF SOME PEOPLE WHO ALL DECIDED TO DRAW WATER TO LAST THEM THROUGH THE NIGHT,

MR TUCKER SAID THAT IT WAS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE OPERATIONAL COSTS, SOME BUILDING MANAGEMENTS MIGHT HAVE ALTERED THE INTERNAL PUMPING SYSTEMS, WHICH WERE REQUIRED BY THE WATER AUTHORITY IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE UPPER FLOORS WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO GET WATER WHEN MAINS PRESSURE WAS LOW - PARTICULARLY DURING TIMES OF WATER RESTRICTIONS.

HE APPEALED TO THE MANAGEMENTS OF THESE BUILDINGS TO ENSURE THAT THE IR INTERNAL PUMPING SYSTEMS WERE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.

+WITHOUT THE INTERNAL PUMPING SYSTEM, HE SAID, THE OCCUPANTS OF THE BUILDINGS MIGHT SUFFER UNNECESSARY HARDSHIP DURING WATER RESTRICTIONS, AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO BECAUSE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE INTERNAL SYSTEMS LIES ENTIRELY WITH THE BUILDING MANAGEMENTS.

COMMENTING ON REPORTS THAT STAFF OF THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT WERE SEEN SWITCHING OFF SUPPLIES BEFORE 10 PM, HE SAID THAT THE TIME TAKEN TO CLOSE A VALVE RANGED FROM TWO MINUTES FOR A FOUR-INCH PIPE TO SOME 25 MINUTES FOR A 48-INCH MAIN.

+THAT IS WHY THE TURNCOCK STAFF HAVE TO START A BIT EARLY SO THAT THE SUPPLIES CAN BE COMPLETELY SWITCHED OFF BY 10 PM.

REFERRING TO REPORTS THAT SOME PREMISES HAD CONTINUED TO RECEIVE WATER DURING THE RESTRICTION HOURS, HE SAID THESE PREMISES WERE APPARENTLY DRAWING WATER FROM STORAGE TANKS ON THE ROOFS OF THE BUILDINGS.

HE URGED THE MANAGEMENTS OF THESE BUILDINGS TO CO-OPERATE IN ENSURING THAT ALL THESE TANKS ARE SHUT OFF DURING THE RESTRICTION HOURS.

/IN OTHER