No_2_January_and_February__1950 — Page 11

EASTERN RAPID GRAVITY FILTER SCHEME

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Photo No. 1.

A general view of the whole installation.

The rapid growth of Hongkong from the estimated popula- tion of 500,000 at the time of the Japanese surrender to the presented estimated 2,500,000, i.e. an increase of 500% in less than five years has presented some pretty tough problems to the Waterworks Office These problems have been further complicated by the difficulty in obtaining deliveries of very essential equipment required, not only to increase the capacity of the existing equipment to take care of increasing demand for water, but also for the replacement and repair of the original instauations which were damaged during the "blitz" and so badly neglected during the period of Japanese occupation as to become almost useless.

It has been the policy of the Hongkong Government to supply filtered and chlorinated water throughout the Colony even though the rapid growth of industrial requirements would permit of a fair amount of unfiltered water being used. The

almost universal practice of having workmen living on the factory premises and drawing on the same water as that used

for processing, and the impossibility of educating the labourers in the discrimination and selection of the water supply, if two separate sources were available, would have mitigated against any attempt at such separation. The cost of doubling up the supply piping is, of course, another prohibitive factor.

The tremendous increased requirements, therefore, of filtered water very rapidly caught up with the capacity of the old slow sand Filters on the Island and, to eliminate the continued overloading of these filters with consequent inferior quality of water produced, it became essential to expedite their replacement by modern equipment.

High priority was given to a plant designed in England for Hong Kong's requirements and the Eastern Rapid Gravity Filter Scheme was designed and rushed through with the results shown and explained on the following pages.

Further facts concerning the necessity for, and the expense of, the erection of the Eastern Rapid Gravity Filter is contained in the D.P.W.'s 1949 report from which we quote the following:—

"Distribution problems increased during the year due to the limitations imposed by inadequate filtration capacity and by the small size and age of many of the distribution mains. To combat these problems an extensive mainlaying pro- gramme and the construction of the new Eastern Rapid Gravity Filtration Scheme was put in hand.

Photo No. 2.

A view of the Chinese quarters, the pump house on the extreme left and the filter and storage build- ings in the back- ground.

Plan No. 1.

A plan of the entire area show- ing the location of the principal buildings and the various filter beds

and service reser-

voir.

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