XN000022-1983-06-15 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1983

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COMPUTER BACKING UP ENQUIRY SERVICE

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HONG KONG NOW HAS MORE THAN 1.13 MILLION CONSUMERS REGISTERED WITH THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT.

THE NUMBER HAS BEEN INCREASING BY ABOUT 10 PER CENT A YEAR, AND THE GROWTH HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY RAPID IN THE SIX NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+FOR INSTANCE, WE HAD 57 000 REGISTERED CONSUMERS IN SHA TIN BY THE END OF LAST MARCH, A 30 PER CENT INCREASE WITHIN A YEAR,+ MR TOM MCDONOUGH, BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE DEPARTMENT, SAID.

WITH THE EXPANSION, THE DEPARTMENT IS DEALING WITH AN INCREASING VOLUME OF ENQUIRIES ON WATER ACCOUNTS AND RELATED ISSUES.

IT NOW HANDLES A MONTHLY AVERAGE OF SOME 28 000 ENQUIRIES, HALF OF WHICH ARE MADE IN PERSON AT ITS THREE CONSUMER ENQUIRY CENTRES AND THE REST BY TELEPHONE OR MAIL.

THE THREE CENTRES ARE LOCATED AT LEIGHTON CENTRE IN CAUSEWAY BAY, ARGYLE STREET IN MONG KOK AND THE TAI PO GOVERNMENT OFFICES BUILDING. IN ADDITION, THE DEPARTMENT HAS NINE TELEPHONE LINES (5-7900222) SPECIALLY INSTALLED TO HANDLE ENQUIRIES.

+BESIDES DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS, THE CENTRES ADVISE THE PUBLIC ON HOW TO APPLY FOR NEW ACCOUNTS AND ON OTHER WATERWORKS MATTERS.

+WE ATTACH CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THIS TYPE OF SERVICE AND WILL BE SETTING UP A CONSUMER ENQUIRY CENTRE IN SHA TIN IN SEPTEMBER AND ANOTHER IN TSUEN WAN, HE SAID.

OTHER LOCATIONS TO HAVE THIS SERVICE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS INCLUDE TUEN MUN, SAI KUNG, YUEN LONG, FANLING, KWUN TONG, THE WESTERN DISTRICT, CHAI WAN, ABERDEEN AND STANLEY.

BACKING UP THE ENQUIRY SERVICES IS A COMPUTER SYSTEM CAPABLE OF PROVIDING INSTANT INFORMATION ON CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS SO THAT PROMPT ANSWERS CAN BE GIVEN TO ANY QUERIES.

+ THE COMPUTER SYSTEM ALSO ENABLES OUR STAFF TO DETECT ANY ABNORMAL INCREASE IN INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMERS' CONSUMPTION PATTERN.

*WHEN A DETECTION IS MADE, WE WILL ENCLOSE A SPECIAL NOTE WITH THE BILL URGING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE THE INSTALLATION CHECKED BY A REGISTERED PLUMBER FOR ANY LEAKAGE, MR MCDONOUGH EXPLAINED.

A METER CAN BE TESTED ON REQUEST. WHEN FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, IT WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THE WATER CHARGE ASSESSED ON THE BASIS OF PAST CONSUMPTION.

/BUT IF