ENG-1951 — Page 108

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PUBLIC UTILITIES

Waterworks

The supply of water to the Colony is undertaken by the Public Works Department of the Government.

As there are no large rivers or underground sources of water in the Colony the population is entirely dependent for its water supply on collecting rainwater, falling on the Colony's many uplands, into thirteen impounding reservoirs, which are usually filled during the summer when the south-west monsoon blows. As the rainfall for the rest of the year is low the storage necessary to provide water throughout the year for Hong Kong's large population is relatively heavy, the total capacity of the reservoirs being 5,970 million gallons. Of this amount only 2,362 million gallons can be stored on the Island, 'the remainder being held in the mainland area of the New Territories, chiefly in the Jubilee Reservoir at Shing Mun, which can contain 2,921 million gallons and is the largest reservoir in the Colony, its 275 foot dam being one of the tallest in the Empire. In addition to these works, there are 35 miles of catchwater channels running along the mid-levels of various hillsides to divert rainwater from its natural channels of fall into one or other of the reservoirs.

Slightly over 35% of the Island's consumption is supplied from the mainland reservoirs, the water being conveyed across the harbour in two 21′′ diameter submarine pipes. On account of the hilly nature of the Island a large proportion of the water has to be pumped and in some areas re-pumped, necessitating a number of pumps and service reservoirs. Most of the water supplied is both filtered and sterilized by chemical treatment and a satisfactory standard of purity maintained. All water is supplied to consumers through meters, with a charge based on the total cost of provision including capital costs. Restrictions on the hours of supply have to be imposed during the greater part of the year to keep consumption within the available resources. The average daily consumption for the year was 32.95 million gallons; peak consumption was 41.99 million gallons.

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