Century-old underground reservoir in Hong Kong open for free guided tours from December 15 for 6 months

Tours at underground reservoir in Bishop Hill at Shek Kip Mei will run until June 14 next year and last 90 minutes each, with English sessions held every Saturday

Visitors urged to be respectful and considerate so as to not damage any artefacts

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Members of the public can enjoy free guided tours at the service reservoir in Bishop Hill from December 15. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 3:37pm, 25 Nov 2021Updated: 5:57pm, 26 Nov 2021

A century-old underground reservoir in Hong Kong that was saved from demolition will be open for free guided tours from mid-December to allow residents to view the massive arched structure up close.

The service reservoir, located at Bishop Hill at Shek Kip Mei, will be open for six months after the completion of a HK$20 million (US$2.6 million) preliminary restoration.

Visitors can also share their views through a survey on the reservoir’s long-term revitalisation, according to officials.

The exposed section of the reservoir is protected by a glass roof. Photo: Martin Chan

“The public can appreciate the architectural designs engineered more than a hundred years ago,” said Philip Chung Wing-kee, assistant director of water supplies/urban at the Water Supplies Department. “The government, at this stage, is open for future plans. We don’t have any firm idea at the moment, but we will conduct public consultations and research to see what are the best options to restore and revitalise the [reservoir].”

Individual and group tours at the heritage site, with its massive stone and brick arches, will tentatively run daily from December 15 to June 14, 2022. Each session will last 90 minutes and accommodate up to 14 people, including the guides and assistants.

A total of 1,000 people will be allowed entry to view the reservoir every month, but the programmes may be adjusted depending on public response and risk. Visitors can register for the tours on the department’s website from 9am on December 1. English sessions will be conducted every Saturday.

Chung said there would not be many restrictions to view the site, but urged people to be respectful and considerate so as to not damage any artefacts.