ENG-1952 — Page 170

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1952

conveyed across the harbour in two 20" diameter sub- marine pipes. On account of the hilly nature of the Island a large proportion of its water supply has to be pumped, and in some areas re-pumped, necessitating numerous pumping stations and service reservoirs.

Most of the water supplied is both filtered and sterilized by chemical treatment and a satisfactory standard of purity is maintained. All water is supplied to consumers through meters, with a charge based on the total cost of provision including capital costs. The average daily consumption for the year was 31.31 million gallons; peak consumption was 44.43 million gallons in one day and this was during a period when water was made available for 16 hours only per day. For a considerable part of the dry season a supply could be given for only 5 hours per day.

During November a 3-year contract was let to a local firm of contractors for the construction of the first section of the new Tai Lam Chung Dam, and work commenced towards the end of the year. Preliminary work on the design of the tunnels, pipe lines, filters, pumping station and service reservoirs for the Tai Lam Chung Scheme is well advanced. It is hoped that when this project it completed about 7 million gallons per day will be added to the Colony's water supply.

The replacement of old encrusted water mains by new and larger mains, and the extension of the supply to meet new building development continued. Work on the new Service Reservoir at Bowen Road which will hold 5-million gallons of filtered water is nearing completion, and the modernization of the pumping stations by the installation of electrically or diesel driven pumps to replace the old steam pumping sets is practically completed.

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