1931 Public Works Department Annual Report

A copy of the original is available at HKGRO: http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkgro/view/a1931/789.pdf

Excerpts:

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— Q 6 —

DRAINAGE.

31.    New sewers and storm water drains in Hong Kong were constructed to a length of 6,186 feet. Improvements were effected to the main sewer in Aberdeen Valley. Stream courses were trained to a length of 263 feet.

32.    New sewers and storm water drains in Kowloon were constructed to a length of 12,682 feet.

33.    New sewers and storm water drains in New Kowloon were constructed to a length of 15,471 feet.

34.    One side wall and invert North of Camp, Shamshuipo, and Un Long Nullahs and Improvements were completed.

WATER WORKS.

35.    Two steel balance tanks erected at West Point Filters. Reconstructions of Bowen Road Conduit between Tai Tam Tunnel and Stubbs Road completed. 1,120 feet of 18" main laid in Shan Kwong Road. 2,472 feet of 12" main laid in Shaukiwan Road, North Point, and Queen’s Road West. 1,308 feet of 10" main laid in Queen’s Road East. 6,570 feet of 8" main laid in Shaukiwan Road and from Elliot Filters to Kennedy Town Tank. In addition 5,761 feet of 6" diameter main and smaller sizes were laid in Hong Kong to improve distribution.

36.    The Aberdeen Scheme Pipe Line (8,620 lin. yards in length) and the connecting tunnel were completed.

37.    The Aberdeen Upper Dam was completed and opened on December 15th. by H.E. the Governor Sir William Peel, K.C.M.G., K.B.E. The First Section of the East Catchwater and the Outfall Section of the West Catchwater were completed and the 1st Section of the West Catchwater was commenced. Partial demolition of the Lower Aberdeen, or old Paper Works Dam was commenced. The Upper and Lower Pumping Stations and Depot were completed and occupied. The new Rapid Gravity Filter Plant at Elliot, four million gallons per day capacity, was completed and brought into use. The Aberdeen Scheme was brought into use and the water taken into supply on August 1st, one year and nine months after commencement of the works.

38.    In Kowloon the following lengths of mains were laid to improve distribution:—2,616 feet 12", 600 feet 10", 2,091 feet 8", 3,884 feet 6" and 1,906 feet under 6".

39.    The 3" Fanling supply main was duplicated for a length of 6,900 feet. Further trial pits at Shing Mun Gorge Dam Site were sunk for the Consulting Engineer who visited and inspected them early in the year and reported favourably on the site The site was later opened up over a considerable width and one

- Q 7 -

of the Consulting Engineers again inspected and reported favourably. The Hong Kong Public Gardens Service Reservoir, the last item of the 1st Section of the Shing Mun Scheme, was commenced and good progress was made. The Kowloon Byewash Reservoir was completed and brought into use, forming a link between the Shing Mun Scheme and the older works.

RECLAMATIONS.

40. At Tsat Tsz Mui a reclamation of about 2 1/2 acres was carried out. An area of 1 1/2 acres approximately has been reclaimed for traffic adjoining the ferry pier under construction at Jordan Road. The China Light & Power Co. reclaimed an area of about five acres at To Kwa Wan. The reclamation at Cheung Sha Wan was extended by further dumping of Sanitary department refuse. The total of the area now formed amounts to about twelve acres.

PIERS.

41.    The construction of the pier at Wilmer Street was completed. Construction was commenced on a ferry pier 309 feet in length and 200 feet in width in front of the Fire Station Building between Queen Victoria Street and Jubilee Street. The seaward portion of the pier for 150 feet is constructed in the form of two arms providing a basin for berthing the vehicles ferry.

42.    Adjoining the reclamation at Jordan Road, the work was undertaken of constructing reinforced concrete arms to form a basin for berthing the vehicles ferry on the Kowloon side of the Harbour. The work of constructing the pier at Mong Kok was completed. The pier in structural steel work for Hung Hom Government Store was completed. The work of constructing the pier at Shamshuipo was completed.

ELECTRICAL WORKS.

43.    The following works were completed during the year: —

Electric light and power installations were fitted to the following buildings:—Victoria Gaol New Printing Shop; Government Stone Quarry, Aberdeen Pumping Stations (Upper and Lower); Married Quarters Lai Chi Kok Prison; To Kwa Wan Sanitary Inspectors Quarters and Bungalow at Tai Po Road. Two latrines and bathhouses and six ferry piers were wired for electric lighting. Twenty one Government buildings in Hong Kong and Kowloon were rewired. The telephone system and fans and lights in certain buildings of the Kowloon-Canton Railway were maintained. A number of telephones were installed at various places. Installation of additional 100 line switchboard was completed at the Kowloon Government Telephone Exchange.

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— Q 23 —    P.W.R. Kowloon.

140.    Maintenance of Water Works. A constant supply was maintained throughout the year in all districts.

141.    Water from the new Byewash Dam became available on 16th January, 1931. This dam which forms the connecting link between the Kowloon Reservoir and the Shing Mun Supply has a capacity of 185.50 million gallons and provides a much needed addition to the mainland storage.

142.    Owing to intensive development in practically all districts of Kowloon, the distribution system is becoming inadequate and a big main-laying programme together with the construction of a large service reservoir will shortly have to be undertaken.

143.    The supply during the year was maintained at the necessary pressure by means of connections from the 24" trunk main from the Shing Mun Supply.

144.    The total yield of the Shing Mun River as measured by the Recorder and V. Gauge at the Upper intake was 5,098.45 million gallons as compared with 5,189 million gallons last year. Additions to the Shing Mun supply were obtained from the Needle Hill stream and from pumps below Pineapple Pass. The pumps worked on eighty-six days during the year and delivered 43.47 million gallons equivalent to 505,000 gallons per working day. During the year 2,035.84 million gallons were delivered from the Shing Mun Valley through the Tunnels into the Reception Reservoir, but a large percentage of this quantity could not be stored and ran to waste. The minimum monthly yield was in February when the quantity delivered was 55.50 million gallons. After the completion of the 2nd section of the Paterson Rapid Gravity Filtration Plant in 1932 it will be possible greatly to reduce the waste referred to above.

145.    The total quantity filtered by the existing Paterson Filtration Plant during the year was 1,377.66 million gallons 632.63 million gallons of which were supplied to Hong Kong.

146.    The Shek Li Pui Service Reservoir was completed early in the year and has proved of great benefit for distribution purposes. Incidentally it has increased the mainland storage by eleven million gallons.

147.    The total quantity of water supplied during the year was 1,840.39 million gallons (excluding 104.33 million gallons supplied to Water Boats at Lai Chi Kok) which gives an average daily consumption of 5.04 million gallons or 17.5 gallons per head, per day based on an estimated population of 288,000. Details are given in Table IX.

148.    The quantity of water stored in the impounding reservoirs on 1st January was 463.98 million gallons and a minimum of 240.58 million gallons was reached on 13th April.

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— Q 29 —

PUBLIC WORKS EXTRAORDINARY.

A summary of the works carried out under this vote is given below.

HONG KONG.

Buildings.

101.    New No. 2 Police Station.—This work was described in paragraph 107 of the Report for 1930 and a further report is given in paragraph 190 of the 1931 report. The work proceeded satisfactorily and was completed on the 2nd May 1932, one day in excess of the Contract time. Certain work additional to the original Contract was executed including the removal of the weighbridge from the Central Police Station Compound to this Station and an increase in the garages temporarily to house the Fire Brigade for Wanchai.

1932 Expenditure .... $108,166.90

Expenditure to 31st Dec., 1932... $372,192.07

102.    Sai Ying Pun—New Market.—.Reference was made to this building in paragraph 191 of the report for 1931. The work proceeded satisfactorily and the market was completed and ready for occupation on the 22nd April.

1932 Expenditure          $113,792.18

Expenditure to 31st Dec., 1932... $251,090.64

103.    Market at Praya East Reclamation.—This work was referred to in paragraph 194 of last year’s Report. The market was satisfactorily completed by the end of May and handed over to the Sanitary Department on 1st June, 1932.

1932 Expenditure                  $16,992.14

Expenditure to 31st Dec., 1932.... $26,942.61

104.    Latrine at Possession Point.—The Contract for the erection of a public trough closet and urinal which amounted to $15,434.20, was let to Messrs. Lam Woo & Co. on 1st March 1932. The work was satisfactorily completed on 30th September, 1932.

Expenditure              .             $10,819.10

General Works.

105.    Roads.—Consequent upon the erection of new buildings, kerbing and channelling operations were executed on sixteen roads, etc. Footpaths were paved and any necessary alterations in levels or alignment affected.

Expenditure                          $48,281.69

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- Q 43 — Loan Works.

267. Surrender of the Royal Naval Arsenal Yard and Kellett Island.—An agreement was completed with the Admiralty by which the above properties will be surrendered under certain conditions and upon payment of $2,000,000. A first payment of $500,000 less a proportion to be met from the Praya East Reclamation Fund was made during the year. The balance will be paid during 1932 and 1933.

Loan Works. — Q 44 —

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Loan Works.    — Q 50 —

290. Item P, Byewash Reservoir.—This work was referred to in paragraph 248 (P) of last year’s Report. Fair progress was made with the works during the earlier part of the year, and by the end of May the dam was brought up to road level. Final cleaning down was completed early in August. Water was impounded from the beginning of the year and brought into supply on January 14th by connecting the 18" dia. draw-off to the existing supply main to the Kowloon Filter Beds. In June the Reservoir was emptied and the original 18" dia supply main from the Kowloon Reservoir 2,100 feet long, was recovered from inside the Reservoir basin during which time the supply to Kowloon Filter Beds was maintained from the Reception Reservoir. The Byewash Reservoir was then allowed to fill and overflowed on 11th August. The existing overflow channel from the Reception Reservoir has been diverted so that it now discharges into the basin of the Byewash Reservoir. The Access Road to the Shing Mun Filtration Plant which was continued beyond the dam as far as the Shing Mun Filters was completed in June. The dam is situated in the Lai Chi Kok Valley about 700 yards downstream of the existing Kowloon Dam and impounds the water which overflows from the latter as well as the overflow from the Reception Reservoir of the Shing Mun Valley Scheme. The Reservoir has a direct catchment area of ninety acres and a nett capacity of 185.5 million gallons. The top water level is 380.00 A.O.D. and at that level the area of the impounded water is approximately fifteen acres. The dam is of gravity section constructed of mass concrete with pre-cast concrete block faces. The up-stream face is vertical except between the levels of 320.00 and 350.00 A.O.D. where it has a batter of one in sixteen while the down-stream face has a general slope of one in 1.492. The height of the roadway over the dam above the lowest foundation level is 143'-6" and 118 feet above the original stream bed. The various mixes of concrete used in the construction of the dam are as follows:—

• To seal and upstream face 1 cement, 2 sand, 3 broken stone.
• To backing below 290.00 A.O.D. 1 cement 2 sand 4 broken stone with displacers.
• To backing between 290.00 & 330.00 A.O.D. 1 cement 2 1/2 sand 4 1/2 broken stone with displacers.
• To backing between 330.00 & 380.00 A.O.D. 1 cement 3 sand 5 broken stone with displacers.
• To Reinforced Cement Concrete Arches. 1 cement 2 sand 4 broken stone.
• To pre-cast Blocks. 1 cement 2 sand 4 broken stone.
• To dam above 380.00 A.O.D, Lime and cement concrete, with displacers.

The pre-cast blocks forming the up-stream face of the dam are smooth faced with level joints while those on the down stream face have an imitation rock facing with margin drafts.

— Q 51 —    Loan Works

291.    The overflow section of the dam consists of sixteen twelve feet bays, and the ten feet wide roadway, which traverses the dam, is carried over the overflow section by sixteen reinforced concrete arches twelve feet span and two feet rise. The overflow is collected in two flood water channels which discharge into a water cushion fifty feet wide at the toe of the dam and thence over a sill into the original stream bed. A valve well is constructed centrally in the dam and is surmounted by a rectangular Valve House containing the operating gear for the various control valves. There are four 18" dia. draw-off pipes each controlled by an 18" dia. penstock and a 15" dia. Sluice Valve at levels of 300, 320, 340, and 360 A.O.D. and each is connected to an 18" dia. stand pipe. The 18" dia. supply main from the stand pipe crosses the South-east flood water channel on a reinforced concrete skewed arch bridge of 42'-0" span. A total of 29,300 cubic yards of concrete were placed in the works, the total number of blocks made being approximately 14,100 of which 7,200 were rock faced and 6,900 smooth faced.

292.    The contractors for the works were the Hong Kong Excavation Pile Driving and Construction Co. who introduced modern equipment for the construction of the dam. Materials, except stone which was found near the site of the dam, were transported by road to a loading station at the East end of the dam and carried over the valley by overhead cableway to the mixing station. The sand and cement were deposited from the cableway direct into storage bins constructed immediately above a concrete mixer of one cubic yard capacity. The mixed concrete was hoisted inside a steel tower and discharged into a chuting equipment suspended from a cable slung across the valley. The pre-cast facing blocks were cast in gang moulds on a specially prepared concrete floor adjacent to the mixing station, the faces of the rock faced blocks being formed by cast iron moulds.

1931 Expenditure         $217,883.07

Expenditure to 31st    Dec.,    1931    $518,623.89

293.    Item Q, Hong Kong Gardens Service Reservoir.—This work was referred to in paragraph 248 Item (Q) of last year's Report. A Contract for the construction of the Reservoir was signed on the 15th September by Messrs. Yee Lee & Co. for the sum of $189,500.95 and by the end of the year very good progress had been made with the excavation, tipping to banks, piling, concreting of main walls and turfing. The steel work for the reinforced piers and roof arrived from England during December.

1931 Expenditure..     $32,390.38

Expenditure to 31st    Dec.,    1931     $32,601.88

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