ENG-1965 — Page 211

PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

169

The opportunity is being taken, with the increased resources at Tai Po Tau, to construct a six million gallons a day treatment plant, with site provision for extension to 24 million gallons a day. This will provide a treated water supply to the New Territories. townships of Tai Po and Sheung Shui. Site excavation for a 24 million gallons a day plant was completed and the plant ordered. In order that the additional water resources available on the mainland may supplement the supply on Hong Kong Island, a further cross-harbour main of 42-inch diameter must be laid between Tai Wan and North Point. Preliminary investigations of the sea bed were completed during 1965 and an order placed for the pipes. To guard against a shortage of rain in any reservoir catchment area it is of the utmost importance that as wide a dis- tribution as possible be given to the vastly increased quantities of water which will be available on completion of the Plover Cove Reservoir. To this end, and also to assist in the distribution of water available from Shek Pik, 13 service reservoirs for underground storage of treated water are under construction. In addition seven such reservoirs were completed during the year, together with 28 miles of mains of 12-inch diameter and larger.

The conservation of the Colony's fresh water resources by the use of sea water for sanitary and fire fighting purposes is receiving increasing attention. It requires the installation of foreshore pumping stations, pumping mains to reception reservoirs, repumping in some areas to meet the demand for water at higher levels, and a network of distribution mains. All material and equipment must be resistant to sea water; only pumps designed for the purpose can be used and steel mains must be lined with concrete or asbestos cement. Six pumping stations and three reservoirs were commissioned and 25 miles of mains were laid.

Improvements were also carried out to the traditional irrigation systems of the New Territories and new works were constructed to improve supplies. During the year 9,700 feet of irrigation channels were lined with concrete to reduce seepage; 37,910 feet of new channel and 70 diversion dams were constructed.

The quality of the water supplied throughout the Colony was maintained at the same high level as in previous years and the few sub-standard samples detected were traced to violations of the Waterworks Ordinance or to the carelessness of consumers.