The waterworks of six pre-war reservoirs were declared monuments yesterday, recognising their contribution to the city's growth.
The 41 structures, of the Pok Fu Lam, Tai Tam, Wong Nai Chung, Kowloon, Aberdeen and Shing Mun reservoirs, are mostly intact and still in service.
Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said at the declaration: 'These structures have witnessed the unprecedented commitment of our predecessors to set up a permanent water supply system in Hong Kong.'
Construction of the six reservoirs came with population growth and urban expansion. The monuments, built between the 1860s and 1930s, include stone bridges, dams, valve houses, staff quarters and aqueducts.
The oldest ones are in Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, completed in 1863.
More than half the monuments - 21 of the 41 - are at Tai Tam reservoirs, the second-oldest and four times larger than Pok Fu Lam's.
