E46
:
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
to the regulations of the Chinese Passengers' Aot, 1855, - whereas foreign steamers are subject to no such regulations, and can in consequence carry double, or treble, the number of passengers permitted under the Act to a British vessel. Much lucrative trade is thus completely closed to British ships. The Committee therefore deprecate further legisla- tion in the direction of making these passenger regulations more stringent, as the effect can only be to still more heavily handicap British tonnage on the China coast and lead to its supercession by Continental steamers.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Chairman.
W C. H. HASTINGS. N. J. EDE. CHANTREY INCHBALD.
Hongkong. 22ud June, 1896. -
THE WATER SUPPLY,
▲ GLOOMY PROSPECT.
THE GROWTH OF THE CITY TO BE STOPPED BY SCARCITY OF WATER.
An exhaustive report on the Water Supply of the City of Victoria and Hill District by the Hon. F. A. Cooper, Director of Public Works, was laid on the table at the last meeting | of the Legislative Council. The first portion of the report is historical and descriptive and much of it is of a technical character. The latter part of the report, slightly condensed, is as follows:-
ADDITIONAL WORKS NECESSARY TO MEET
PRESENT REQUIREMENTS. Taking the present requirements for all purs poses at 15 gallons per head per djem and the population supplied at 200000 persons, the average daily quantity required for distribution is 3,000,000 gallons.
The existing works at Pokfoolum and Taitam can be relied upon to supply an average of 2,700,000 gallons per diem, of which 2,400,000 gallons can be efficiently filtered with the ex- isting filter beds.
It will therefore be seen that-(a) Farther works are necessary to render an additional average daily supply of 300,000 gallons of water available. (6) Further provision for the filtration of 690,000 gallons of water per diem is required. (e) The construction in the Hill District of a service reservoir of 400,000 gal- lons capacity is required.
On the completion of the works now in hand at Taitam, the capacity of the reservoir will be increased to 390 million gallons, making the total storage available at Pokfoolum and Taitam 458 million gallons, but, as shown in paragraph No. 106, the catchment areas can only be relied upon during the months of May to August to yield 692 million gallons.
Now, if during that period an average daily quantity of 3-million gallons be abstracted, or a total of 369 million gallons, there is only a balance of 323 million gallons for storage which; added to the yield of the catchment areas during the months of September to April inclusive, viz., 200 million gallons, gives the total (avail- able for distribution during the months of September to April inclusive as 613 million gallons, or an average daily quantity of only 2,500,000 gallons.
It is therefore necessary to increase the catchment ares or to construct additional storage reservoirs for impounding water during the years of heavy rainfall for distribution during those of comparatively small rainfall.
A catchwater contouring the hillside on the west of the Taitam Valley 3,100 lineal yards in length and discharging into the present reser. voir will intercept a catchment area of 186 Bores This would increase the available supply during the months of May to August inclusive, by 61 million gallons, and during the months of Sep. tember to April inclusive by 25 million gallons.
A catchwater contouring the hillside, on the east side of the Little Hongkong Valley and discharging into the valley near the Wongnei- chong Gap would, with suitable reservoir ac- commodation at this point, increase the avail- able daily supply during the year by 300,000 gallons.
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$
A suitable site exists for the construction of Proposed Reservoir a reservoir in the valley near the Wongnei-site for the construc chong Gap by the construction of a dam across reservoir of a capacit the valley having a maximum height of about immediately east of The | 50 feet and a length of about 270 feet; the capacity of this reservoir would be 27 million gullous:
Some minor alterations and extensions to the Pokfoolum conduit will be required with a view to increasing its discharging capacity and thus enabling full advantage being taken during the months of May to August inclusive of the yield of the Pokfoolum reservoir catchment area and the streams intercopted by the conduit
With these additional works an additional supply of 193 million gallons per annum will be obtained
The following statement shows the total supply obtainable on the completion of the fore- going works :—
Catch- Valley. ment
arca.
ACTES.
Yield, September In April. gallons,
Total.
Yield, May to August. gallons.
gallons. Fukkoalum.. 416 207,000,000. 62,000,000 269,000,000 680 339,000,000 102,000,000 - 441,000,000
Tailam Taitan Catch-
water East 220 72,000,000 30,000,000 102,000,000 86,000,000
Taiton Catch-
water West 186 61,000,000 25,000,000 Streams inter-
cepted by
conduit
74,000,000 96,000,000 170,000,000
100 50,000,000 15,000,000 ° 65,000,000
Wagneichong
Cimpi ('atelwater... 90 30,000,000 12,000,000 42,000,000 8:33,000,000 342,000,000 1,175,000,000 Averago supply per diem-178 go good- 3,200000 gallons, say, storage required= 3,2000 by 242 less the yield of the catchment arres during the months of September to April inclusive (774 millions minus 342 millions) viz., $2 million gallons. The storage capacity of the reservoirs at Pokfoolum and Taitam on the comition of the works now in hand will amort to 458 million gallons and will there- fore be sufficient to secure a constant water apply at the rate of 3,200,000 gallons per diem.
PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED WORKS TO
· MEET PRESENT REQUIREMENTS.
Proposed Catchwater Taitam Valley. The catchwater contouring the hillside on the west of the Taitam Valley to be constructed of lime concrete rendered in cement laid at a uniform gradient of 1 ia 100 and to have a maximum discharging capacity of 2 million gallons per hour.
It will be necessary to convey the water in tercepted by this catchwater across the ravine immediately south of the present Taitam re- servoir by cast iron pipes 1-4 inches in diameter, This work is shown on drawing No. 7. and the estimated cost is $40,000.
Proposed Catch cater Reservoir near Wong. neichong Gap.The catchwater contouring the hillside on the south of Wongneichong Gup to be of similar construction to one above niaximun, discharging described and to have capacity of one million gallons per hour. voir to be constructed near Wongneichong Gap This catchwater will discharge into a reser-
From this reservoir the water will be con- veyed by a cast iron main 5 inches in diameter
to the Taitam conduit.
The estimated cost of these works is $83,000. Proposed Filter Beds.-Additional provision for the filtration of 1 million gallons of water per diem is proposed to be provided by the con- struction of filter beds on the hillside below the
Bowen Road.
These filter beds are three in number and have a combined area of 1,700 square yards; in connection with them a covered service reservoir
should be constructed having a capacity of 600,000 gallons.
A cast iron main will connect this reservoir with the existing distribution system and service reservoir at Wanchai now in course of construc-
tion.
The estimated cost of these works is $68,000. Should a supply of water be required above the Bowen Road, I would remark that the pro- ject for the construction of filter beds im- mediately below Bowen Road furnishes facili- ties for actuating a small hydraulic motor.
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This reservoir would be a top water level of 1,751 1 Datum
[Jul 16, 1800,
Estimated cost $20,000,-- Estimated Cost of Works immed The following tabular statem estimated cost of works immediat
Description of Work. Improvements Pokfoolum Conduit $10,000. New Mains in the City and Repairs to
No. 2 Tank
Catchwater West of Taitam Valley Reservoir and Catchwater Wongnei-
chong Gap
Filter Beds and Service Reservoir Survica Reservoir Péak
ľ
39,000 €40,000
Total $260,000 As it is of the utmost importance both on sanitary and general grounds that no time should be lost in providing the City and Hill District with an adequate and constant water supply, I would urge the necessity of at once taking steps to carry out the foregoing
In the consideration of this matter it must not be lost sight of that the Taitam project 1873 was for the supply of water to 92,000 persons, at the rate of 13.57 gallons per head, giving a total daily supply of 1,248,000 gallons, a result which was more than realised during the unprecedented dry year of 1895 Un- fortunately, the works were not completed-till 1889, by which time the population had increased to upwards of 170,000.
FUTURE REQUIREMENTS. SH It is estimated that the population of City and Hill Districts is increasing at the rate of 5,000 per annum.
If this rate be maintained, the rate of con sumption of water being taken at 15 gallons per head per diem, the annual increase of water required for distribution will be- 27,375,000 gallons, or at the rate of 75,000 gallons per diem.
The existing works with the-proposed ex- tensions are estimated to yield a minimum of 3,200,000 gallons per diem or sufficient for as population of 213.000, so that by the end of 1809 it is probable that the requirements of the City and Hill Districts will have outgrown the supply obtainable from these works during years of comparatively small rainfall.
As the construction of works of the nature required to meet this increased demand for water will occupy some time, I have considered projects for still further increasing the present water supply, and now propose to briefly describe what appears to be the best practical solution of this question.
It must be remembered that the sites available for reservoirs are very few-and, owing to the
admit of the construction of extensive im steepness and narrowness of the valleys, do not pounding reservoirs.
With a view to ascertaining the most suitable sites for the construction of reservoirs, detail- surveys have been made in the Pokfoolum and submitted. Taitam valleys, and the following projects are
PARTICULARS OF PROPOSED WORKS TO MEET
"FUTURE "REQUIREMENTS.
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Pokfoolum Valley,
Proposed Reservoir.-In the Pokfoolum Valley a suitable site exists below the present reservoir for the construction of a reservoir having a capacity of 78 million gallons and catchment area including that of the present reservoir 500 acres.
This reservoir would be formed by the of a concrete and masonry dam across.
a little above the existing bridge on
deen Road.
The top water level would be 480 feet above Ordnance Datum, and the maximum depth of water below overflow level 40 feet.
The valve tower and outlet works in the north-west corner the level of the draw-off being 450 feet above Ordnance A wash-out pipe only is provided throng
The waste weir is located on the south-eastern extremity
a total length of 110 feet, whic an overflow of 4 feet 6 inches
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.