CONFIDENTIAL
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HW: 44
Cypher/Cat A
PRIORITY MANILA TO FOREIGN OFFICE
TOP COPY
Telno 145
19 August 1967
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to Governor Hong Kong telegram No. 23 of 19 August, repeated for information to Commonwealth Office, Tokyo, Saigon, Bangkok.
Your telegram No. 79: Supply of Water.
Water can be supplied at Manila Harbour Pier at 40 centavos per ton (10.98 pesos equals one pound) but rate of supply is only on average 35-40 tons per day. Tankers could be loaded from barges at breakwater (saving berthing charges) at rate of 60 tons per hour from 3-500 ton barges. However barges can only be filled from pier at normal rate of 35-40 tons per day. Even this decreased rate of supply would be inordinately slow in case of 20-70,000 ton tankers. Moreover water is expensive (pesos 5.50 per ton). In addition it is doubtful whether necessary quantity of water would be available. Reservoir supplying Manila is not at present operating at maximum capacity and partly also because of distribution difficulties serveral areas of Manila are still short of water. Apart from difficulty of obtaining water political embarrassment would arise if it were known that water was being taken to Hong Kong while Manila ran short.
2.
Outside Manila there is neither water supply nor facilities adequate for size of tankers envisaged. We have also investigated situation at United States Subic Bay Naval Base. However all available water is already used; treatment plant could not in any case cope with an addition and piers could not accommodate size of tankers envisaged.
3. The above is based on discreet enquiries made of British business men and United States Embassy. If you wish to try to obtain the comparatively small amount of piped water available I would have to put this to Philippine Government.
Foreign Office pass Priority to Hong Kong 23, Tokyo 8, Saigon 6 and Bangkok 15.
Mr. Addis
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.O. H.K.W.I.D.'C'.
F.0.
EEEEE
I. & G.D.
News Department
F.E.D.
J.I.P.G.D.
J.I.R.D.
Overseas Labour Adviser
Sent 0230Z 19 August
Recd 0400Z 19 Avexed
19 AuguEIVEDDIN
[Repeated as requested
NA
RF.
CONFIDENTIAL
53
ARCHIVEES NO.63 21 AUGY67
HLJA 18/en
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