Water shortage has been a recurring problem to Hong Kong many times.
This photo is attributed to the Information Services Department. The caption on HKPL tells of the situation in 1963 :
As encountering the most serious drought during the past six months, volume of water in the reservoirs have been decreased to a dangerous level. Mr. Alec Michael John Wright, director of
Public Works, revealed that the government will release a solution of "water supply for four hours every other day", this solution may be implied in May 16th 1963, in order to remain water
supply until the rainy season.
As the entrance showed by the photo, the Tsin Shui Ma Tau Village was uphill and according to some map, it spread over quite a wide area on the hillside above the tramway.
The squatter village is said to be near today's Yiu Tung Estate Phase 4. It may be closer to current Ngoi Man Street on the east, I think, as the HKPL caption says.
Hong Kong started to buy water piped from mainland, at a considerable price, contract signed 1964.
Hong Kong's first attempt of sea water desalination started 1973 in Tuen Mun. The latest effort of desalination is the plant (Stage 1) in Tseung Kwan O, started Dec. 2023.
Read also the gwulo forum discussion before : https://gwulo.com/node/41258
Comments
Re: The steps in the photo
Hi There,
I suspect the steps in the photo may still be there, maybe widened. As far as I could recall, Tsin Sui Ma Tau Village was closer towards Chau Wan Road. Basically all the squattered villages up there were likely inter-connected with foot paths. My maternal grandfather once lived in the Holy Cross Village.
T
desalination mentioned in 1963
Part of medium-term planning and long term plans of water supply announced in 1963. It was said that in principle, Hong Kong should make use of sea water distillation as “insurance measure”
against severe drought. A firm of consultants was appointed to research with regard to the quantity of water that could be obtained versus financial capacity.
The term desalination was used by the spokesman then, possibly the first time in Hong Kong. Preliminary discussions between government officers and the two power companies were held.
On Chinese press, suggestions to use sea water distillation machines were reported earlier that year. Government decided not to buy such facility at the time.
A copy of the book Desalination and Its Role in Water Supply (1st Ed., 1967) is with the Government Records Service. (link)
source
South China Morning Post, 1963-10-7
Wah Kiu Yat Po, 1963-5-29 p.5