Sessional_Paper_1928 — Page 80

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catalogue results then the Kaiping coal should have an efficiency of about 32 lbs. of gained distilled water to 1 lb. of coal burnt.

The present contract price of these fuels supplied to the Government ex Contractor's- Depot in Hong Kong is as follows:-

Coal from $11.20 to $13.20 per ton.

Fuel Oil $35.00 per ton.

Carriage of these fuels from Contractor's Depot to site of Plant would be extra.

The difference in cost between these fuels, even if the cost of carriage is added and the question of handling is taken into account, is so marked that coal would be the cheaper fuel to use in Hong Kong even if its calorific value is low.

The following is an estimate for installing two sets of Sextuple Effect Plant capable of producing 800 tons or 179,200 gallons of water per day of 24 hours which I consider will give the most economical result:-

Land 20,000 sq. feet @ say $2 a sq. ft.

Distilling and Condensing Plant delivered and erected on site in

Hong Kong

$ 40,000

400,000

Pumps and piping for lifting water to service tank for distribution Buildings for Distilling and Condensing Plant, Pumps, stores

and staff (exclusive of foundations)

85,000

150,000

TOTAL

$675,000

The cost to run and maintain the Buildings and Plant per month is estimated as follows:

Wages

Stores etc. including electric power to pump

Coal 750 tons @ $15 per ton including carriage Depreciation on Buildings and Plant say

TOTAL

$ 1,000

1.000

11,250

2,270

$15,520

=

Amount of water pumped in one month of 30 days 5,376,000 gallons. Approximate cost per 1,000 gallons of distilled water = $2.89.

The approximate cost per 1,000 gallons of delivering filtered water to consumers in this Colony under present conditions of supply is as follows:-

Hong Kong Island (City of Victoria) Kowloon

35 cents

22 cents

For the purposes of this estimate I have assumed that the Condensing and Distilling Plant will be situated to the west of Kennedy Town and that the distilled water will be pumped up to the existing Kennedy Town Service Tank, therefore no provision is made for a new service tank for distribution purposes in the estimate.

Until a site is definitely fixed, the estimated cost of foundations cannot be ascertain- ed, but I do not think the capital cost for the whole plant will exceed $725,000.

Some market might be found for the brine extracted from the sea water.

H. T. JACKMAN, Assistant Director of Public Works.

22nd February, 1927.