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131. The proposed building is two stories in height occupying a ground area of 9,830 square feet, the coolie quarters and offices, which are one story in height, occupy a further area of 5,128 square feet. The area of the whole site, exclusive of the present site and adjoining grounds, is nearly one acre. 132. No expenditure on this work has as yet been authorised so that the actual work of con- struction is delayed for the present.
133. Government Offices Extension.-Plans and Estimates have been prepared for the erection of a new two, storied block immediately to the west of the present Government Offices.
134. A report giving particulars as to the proposed accommodation, &c., was submitted on the 9th of November.
135. No expenditure on this project has as yet been authorised.
136. New Water Mains and Distributary System of Victoria Water Works.-The New Water Mains and Distributary System has been completed during the year so far as the present requirements of the City necessitate.
137. The following is a brief description of the City of Victoria Water Works.
188. The two main sources of water supply are the Taitam and Pokfulam valleys in each of which reservoirs are constructed with overflow levels of 496.30 and 551.86 feet above Ordnance Datum, the former having a total capacity of 312,000,000 gallons and the latter 66,000,000 gallons.
The catchment areas are respectively 680 and 416 acres.
139. From these reservoirs the water is conveyed to the City by covered masonry conduits contour- ing the hillsides, except for a distance of 7,344 feet in the case of the Taitam Conduit and for a distance of 663 in that of Pokfulam, where the hills have been pierced by tunnels.
The length of the Taitam Conduit is 43 miles and that of Pokfulam 2 miles.
These conduits, however, intercept several perennial springs above the built area of the City which materially increase the supply available for distribution.
140. The conduits terminate in the Filter Beds constructed at the Albany and at West Point (at levels of 469 and 388 feet above Ordnance Datum respectively) for the purpose of filtering the water from Taitam and Pokfulam respectively.
141. After filtration the water is received into the service reservoirs constructed in close proximity to the filter beds. The capacity of the Albany service reservoir is 5,700,000 gallons and that of the West Point 940,000 gallons.
142. The Taitam reservoir, filter beds and service reservoirs were completed in 1888 and a detail description of these works, written by Mr. J. ORANGE, Resident Engineer, will be found in Volume C of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers 1889-90.
143. The Pokfulam reservoir was constructed in 1866, the Conduit in 1877 and the Filter Beds and Service reservoir in 1890, a description of the two latter will be found in my annual report (Water and Drainage Department) dated 7th February, 1891.
144. Distribution Works.-For the purpose of distributing water throughout the City cast and wrought-iron mains have been laid within reasonable distance of the whole of the built area. The total length of mains now existing is 30 miles.
145. The City has been divided into four zones and special means have been adopted to insure ample water pressure being available in the higher level and to prevent excessive pressure occurring in the mains traversing the lower levels.
146. The upper zone between the 600- and 450-foot contours is supplied with water from a reservoir constructed at a level of 700 feet above Ordnance Datum on the west side of the Peak Road.
147. A 6-inch cast-iron main, reducing to 4 inches in the Peak Road, is laid from the Hydraulic Motor in Garden Road to the Peak Road reservoir through which the water is pumped by the motor, houses en route being supplied direct off this main.
148. The next lower zone between the 450- and 300-foot contours is supplied with water from the reservoirs constructed south of the Belilios Terrace and Pokfulam Filter Beds, the former at a level of 500 feet and the latter at a level of 600 feet above Ordnance Datum and containing 112,000 and 105,000 gallons respectively.
149. A cast-iron main varying in size from 6 to 4 inches in diameter is laid between these reservoirs along the Robinson and Richmond Roads from which branch pipes are laid in the several streets of this district.
150. The water is pumped up into the above mentioned reservoirs by Hydraulic Motors erected in the Arbuthnot and Bonham Roads pumping stations.
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