Panel backs grade one heritage status for three of Hong Kong’s century-old reservoirs

A panel of experts has unanimously backed a move to accord the highest historical grading to three of Hong Kong’s century-old underground reservoirs, acknowledging that these facilities are vital to understanding the development of the city’s water supply system. 

Members of the Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB) on Thursday said they believed that Albany Fresh Water Service Reservoir, Peak Fresh Water Service Reservoir and Mount Gough Fresh Water Service Reservoir possessed rich historical, architectural and social importance for the city. 

The board agreed in a meeting to list them as grade one historic buildings, the top category in Hong Kong’s rating system for the preservation of heritage structures, meaning such sites were “of outstanding merit, for which every effort should be made to preserve” them if possible.

“The three service reservoirs in Hong Kong are very special because all of them are more than 100 years old … They played an important part in the development of the city, these reservoirs had a significant role in ensuring safe and hygienic water supply to residents,” board chairman Douglas So Cheung-tak said. 

Heritage officials conducted appraisals of the three sites after the government decided to award grade one status to conserve the service reservoir at Bishop Hill in Shek Kip Mei in March.

There was a public outcry last year when demolition work started at the reservoir, and pictures of its stunning brick arches caused a social media frenzy.

The Antiquities and Monuments Office will conduct a one-month public consultation on the grading for the three reservoirs and will confirm its proposal in the next board meeting in September.