ENG-1959 — Page 281

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS

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for water supplies is the expansion of the Colony's Resettlement Estates where mains water is usually provided through standpipes. The number of regular water consumers increases as more estates are constructed because the squatter areas, which the resettlement projects replace, had only very limited regular means of obtaining piped water. To meet the heavy demands for flushing water for these densely populated resettlement estates, attempts were made to find additional water by sinking wells, but without success. In order therefore to conserve mains water, work was commenced on seven separate schemes to provide salt water for flushing at such estates and other private properties in their vicinity. These schemes require the construction of eight service reservoirs, two dams and seven pumping stations; and the laying of approximately 9,000 feet of 15-inch diameter pipe and 55,000 feet of 18-inch diameter pipe. The work is now well in hand; and, when com- pleted, it will be possible to supply about 20 million gallons of salt water a day for flushing and air-conditioning. Fire hydrants are being installed on the salt water mains to improve the available fire fighting facilities. Consideration is also being given to the possibility of extending the existing salt water mains in the Central District of Victoria, and to the construction of three further schemes in areas of concentrated development.

Work continued on the final phases of the Tai Lam Chung Scheme. Two of the three service reservoirs begun in 1958 were completed and brought into use. Agreement was reached with villagers living in the Yuen Long area, who had objected to the construction of the north group of catchwaters, fearing that they would lose their irrigation water. Contracts were let for the con- struction of a further five miles of catchwater and one mile of tunnels. Work was begun also on a dam at Wong Nei Tun in the hills south of Yuen Long, which will serve as a settlement basin and an impounding reservoir for the supply of irrigation water to the fertile plains below. Approximately half of the total length of catchwater was completed, and only on one section was con- struction not put in hand.

Work commenced on the Shek Pik Water Supply Scheme which, it is estimated, will cost $220 million. To form this reservoir an earth dam, 2,300 feet long and 176 feet high, is being built at Shek Pik on the south coast of Lantau, where it will impound