London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

Century-old Hong Kong reservoir proposed to be made a grade one historic building

Century-old Hong Kong reservoir proposed to be made a grade one historic building

Antiquities Advisory Board is set to discuss next Thursday the proposal by the Antiquities and Monuments Office for the service reservoir.

The century-old underground reservoir discovered in Bishop Hill last year has been proposed to be listed as a grade one historic building by the government, the highest grade in Hong Kong’s rating system for the preservation of heritage structures.

The Antiquities Advisory Board is set to discuss next Thursday the proposal by the Antiquities and Monuments Office for the service reservoir in Shek Kip Mei, Sham Shui Po.

A one-month public consultation will follow before the advisory body finalises its decision, according to the memorandum for the board.

Hong Kong has three grades in the system to assess historic buildings. Grade one refers to buildings of outstanding merit that warrant every possible effort for preservation.

As of last December, the board had assessed 1,444 heritage buildings, with 173 of them tagged as grade one structures.

The reservoir was built on August 10, 1904, to increase water supply for the Kowloon peninsula’s expanding population.


The underground reservoir with massive stone and brick arches was discovered in December last year and it soon became the talk of the town. The structure was initially destined for demolition, with parts already torn down. But public discovery of its historical significance set social media abuzz, forcing authorities to halt the work, issue an apology for “insensitivity and miscommunication”, and vow to look into preserving the site.

The reservoir was built on August 10, 1904, as part of the Kowloon Waterworks Gravitation Scheme, according to colonial documents. It was created to increase water supply for the Kowloon peninsula’s expanding population, after the first one in Yau Ma Tei was deemed inadequate. The British colonial government spent about HK$68,000 (US$8,764 at current rate) on the project at the time.

The round underground structure, built with 100 stone columns and brick arches, is 47 metres in diameter and 7 metres deep. It has not been used since the 1970s.

The construction technology of the service reservoir in Hong Kong hearkened back to the Roman empire, said an expert, giving examples of a similar engineering feat at the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, now a major tourist attraction.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×