XN000022-1986-02-07 — Page 4

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1986

THE ENTIRE SCHEME IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN THREE STAGES BECAUSE OF THE LARGE CAPITAL COMMITMENT AND BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTIES IN MAKING LONG-TERM PROJECTIONS OF POPULATION GROWTH. SUFFICIENT FLEXIBILITY HAS BEEN BUILT INTO THE EARLY STAGES TO ACCOMMODATE ANY FUTURE CHANGES IN THE PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT.

STAGE ONE, NOW ALMOST COMPLETED, INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL PUMPING STATION AT MUK WU ON THE BORDER, WITH A CAPACITY OF 24.7 CUBIC METRES A SECOND. PIPELINES WILL CONNECT THIS WITH THE PRINCIPAL WESTERN AQUEDUCT WHICH WILL CARRY UP TO 910 000 CUBIC METRES OF WATER A DAY TO THE TAI LAM CHUNG RESERVOIR.

THE AQUEDUCT REPRESENTS THE BIGGEST SINGLE CONTRACT IN STAGE ONE. COSTING $220 MILLION, IT INCLUDES 14 KILOMETRES OF TUNNELS, THE LAYING OF 5.5 KILOMETRES OF 2.2-METRE PIPES AND CONSTRUCTION OF FOUR KILOMETRES OF ACCESS ROADS.

ANOTHER 5.2 KILOMETRES OF TUNNELS ARE ALSO BEING BUILT UNDER STAGE ONE AS WELL AS SEVERAL PUMPING STATIONS.

STAGE TWO, DUE FOR COMPLETION IN 1988, WILL PROVIDE AN ARTERY SERVING THE EASTERN PART OF THE TERRITORY AND A MEANS OF DELIVERING WATER FROM PLOVER COVE IN THE EAST TO THE WESTERN AQUEDUCT DURING THE TWO MONTHS EACH YEAR THAT CHINA SHUTS DOWN ITS DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS.

IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE A MEANS OF TRANSFERRING WATER FROM CHINA THROUGH PLOVER COVE TO THE NEW TOWN AT JUNK BAY, TO EASTERN KOWLOON AND THE EASTERN PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND BY MEANS OF A SUBMARINE PIPELINE ACROSS THE HARBOUR.

THIS INVOLVES BUILDING A TREATMENT WORKS WITH AN ULTIMATE CAPACITY OF 727 000 CUBIC METRES A DAY.

STAGE THREE, STILL IN THE PLANNING STAGE, IS DUE TO BEGIN IN 1988 AND WILL INCLUDE A SUBMARINE PIPELINE BETWEEN TAI LAM CHUNG RESERVOIR AND LANTAU ISLAND,

HONG KONG'S PHENOMENAL GROWTH IN THE PAST TWO DECADES IS THE ENVY OF MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. BUT, AS PROSPERITY INCREASES, SO DOES HONG KONG'S THIRST BECAUSE THE GROWTH OF INDUSTRY AND HIGHER STANDARDS OF LIVING MEAN INCREASED DEMANDS FOR WATER.

FOR HONG KONG WATER SUPPLY IS A GROWING PROBLEM IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE, BUT WITH IMAGINATIVE FORWARD PLANNING, SUCH AS THE CHINA SCHEME, THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT IS KEEPING ABREAST OF IT.

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