XN000022-1992-11-15 — Page 4

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1992

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LOK ON PAI CHIMNEYS BLASTED

TWO 123-METRE-HIGH CONCRETE CHIMNEYS AT THE LOK ON PAI DESALTER IN TUEN MUN WERE TODAY (SUNDAY) REDUCED ΤΟ RUBBLE IN LESS THAN SIX SECONDS A RECORD IN HONG KONG'S HISTORY OF DEMOLITION WORK, THANKS TO THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES.

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THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME EXPLOSIVES WERE USED IN HONG KONG FOR DEMOLITION PURPOSE.

THE BLASTING, USING ABOUT 110 KILOGRAMS OF EXPLOSIVES * PRODUCED MORE THAN 6,000 CUBIC METRES OF DEBRIS.

THE WORK, AT A CONTRACT COST OF $4 MILLION, WAS CARRIED OUT BY CHEUNG KEE FUNG CHEUNG CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

THE DISPOSAL OF THE CHIMNEYS WILL MAKE WAY FOR A TRANSHIPMENT AREA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW AIRPORT BY THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY.

THE HISTORY OF THE DESALTER CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE LATE 1960'S WHEN HONG KONG WAS FACED WITH CHRONIC WATER SHORTAGE.

EXPERTS AT THAT TIME HAD COME UP WITH THE IDEA OF TURNING TO THE SEA TO SOLVE THE WATER SHORTAGE PROBLEM AFTER EXHAUSTING THE CONVENTIONAL METHODS OF CATCHMENT, STORAGE AND SUPPLY,

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DESALTER, WHICH

IN 1972 A DECISION WAS MADE ΤΟ BUILD THE COULD GIVE AN OUTPUT OF 181,800 CUBIC METRES OF FRESH WATER PER DAY AT FULL OPERATION.

THE FIRST OF ITS SIX MULTI-STAGE FLASH DISTILLATION UNITS CAME INTO OPERATION IN MID-1975, AND BY 1976 ALL UNITS HAD BEEN

COMMISSIONED.

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THE DESALTING PLANT WAS MAINTAINED IN A STRATEGIC RESERVE STATE DURING THE SHUT-DOWN PERIOD OF WATER SUPPLY FROM CHINA AND WAS KEPT AS A RESERVE RESOURCE TO BE USED ΤΟ SUPPLEMENT SUPPLIES WHEN NECESSARY.

IN 1975-78 AND 1981-82 THE PLANT HAD MADE VERY USEFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS AUGMENTING WATER RESOURCES WITH THE RESULT THAT SEVERE WATER RESTRICTIONS WERE AVOIDED.

HOWEVER, WITH SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF WATER FROM CHINA, THE DESALTER HAS NOT BEEN IN USE SINCE 1982.

IN 1989, THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO DISPOSE OF THE DESALTING PLANT IN VIEW OF THE IMPROVED WATER SUPPLY SITUATION AND THE HIGH FUEL COSTS.

THE PLANT, EXCLUDING SITE BUILDINGS, CIVIL STRUCTURES AND LAND, SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD TO AND DISMANTLED BY A METAL DEALER THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

WAS

/APART FROM