Everything tagged "water supply" | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Everything tagged "water supply"

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Pokfulam's Inverted Siphons

Submitted by David on Sat, 2021-05-15 16:00

I've got another 'old Hong Kong waterworks' puzzle for this week's newsletter. Unlike the recent pouring pipe mystery, this one took much longer to solve. It all started around ten years ago, back in a time of tadpoles.

tadpoles

 

Looking for tadpoles, finding pillars

When our daughters were younger, an annual ritual each April / May was to go looking for tadpoles. We'd take a jam jar's worth home, enjoy watching them grow into baby toads, then take them back to their stream and let them go.

The path to the tadpoles passes these two old pillars, made from granite blocks and standing unused in the centre of the stream.

Pillars below the Pokfulam conduit
The pillars in 2014

 

What were they built for?

A little further uphill the path crosses the

Kowloon Reception Reservoir, Shek Lei Pui [1926- ]

Submitted by David on Tue, 2021-04-20 14:40
Date Place completed: 
c.1926-12-24 (Month, Day are approximate)

This tunnel was part of the first section (phase) of the Shing Mun Valley Scheme. It is marked (I) on the map below.

Tags: 
reservoir
water supply

South Tunnel (water tunnel through Golden Hill) [1926- ]

Submitted by David on Fri, 2021-04-09 11:09
Date Place completed: 
1926-12-24

This tunnel was part of the first section (phase) of the Shing Mun Valley Scheme. It is marked (H) on the map below, connecting the South Conduit (G) to the Reception Reservoir (I).

Tags: 
Tunnel
water tunnel
water supply
Shing Mun Valley Scheme

South Conduit, Shing Mun Valley Scheme [1926- ]

Submitted by David on Sun, 2021-04-04 12:42
Date Place completed: 
1926-12-24

The conduit was part of the first section (phase) of the Shing Mun Valley Scheme. It is marked (G) on the map below, connecting the North Tunnel (F) to the South Tunnel (H).

Tags: 
conduit
water supply
Shing Mun Valley Scheme

North Conduit, Shing Mun Valley Scheme [1925- ]

Submitted by David on Fri, 2021-03-26 15:56
Date Place completed: 
c.1925-12-31 (Month, Day are approximate)

Part of the first section (phase) of the Shing Mun Valley Scheme.

It was completed in late 1925, and is described in item 224.d of the PWD's Annual Report for 1925:

(d). North Conduit.—A Contract for $70,801.00 was let in February to Mr. Ng Wah who made excellent progress and completed the works by the end of the year. It commences at the termination  of the Temporary Conduit in the Gorge below Pineapple Pass and discharges into the North Tunnel below Smuggler’s Ridge.

Tags: 
conduit
water supply
Shing Mun Valley Scheme

North Tunnel (water tunnel through Smugglers Ridge) [1926- ]

Submitted by David on Tue, 2021-03-23 11:50
Date Place completed: 
1926-12-24

This tunnel was part of the first section (phase) of the Shing Mun Valley Scheme. It is marked (F) on the map below, connecting the North Conduit (E) to the South Conduit (G).

Tags: 
Tunnel
water tunnel
water supply
Shing Mun Valley Scheme

Peak Service Reservoir [1897- ]

Submitted by David on Tue, 2021-03-23 11:13
Date Place completed: 
c.1897-12-01 (Day is approximate)

The completion of the project is mentioned in item 47.iv of the PWD's Annual report for 1897. I've highlighted the comment about the "roof formed of brick arching", which suggests it is similar in style to the service reservoir at Bishop's Hill, unless it has been rebuilt at some point.

Tags: 
water supply
reservoir
service reservoir

Sugar Works Reservoir [c.1873-c.1970]

Submitted by Klaus on Thu, 2021-01-28 01:22
Date Place completed: 
c.1873-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)
Date Place demolished: 
c.1970-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)

One of two reservoirs that appear on the 1889 map. They are labeled Sugar Works Reservoirs. Possibly built at the same time as the Sugar Refinery.

Was demolished about 1970 and used for housing estates and Taikoo Primary School.

Tags: 
dam
reservoir
Water Works
water supply

Old Pokfulam Reservoir [1863-1978]

Submitted by Klaus on Wed, 2021-01-27 23:17
Date Place completed: 
c.1863-01-01 (Month, Day are approximate)
Date Place demolished: 
c.1978-01-01 (Month, Day are approximate)

The very first dam in Hong Kong was built at Pokfulam. A masonry dam was built across "Pokfoolum" valley to collect rainwater. For the transport of water to Victoria, a ten-inch cast-iron pipe was laid from the reservoir along todays Pok Fu Lam Road to finally Bonham Road. The work was finished in 1863, the reservoir had a capacity of 2 million gallons (9100 m3). The dam was near the (todays) Jockey Club  PHAB Centre, the reservoir stretched out to near Douglas Castle.

In 1978, the old dam was demolished in construction works.

Source:

Tags: 
dam
reservoir
waterworks
water supply

Aqueduct Watford Road [????- ]

Submitted by MikeB on Tue, 2021-01-26 00:13

In direct continuation of Watford Road you'll find a big aqueduct (several meter high concrete pillars).

Anybody has followed this round the hill to the end? I suppose it ends in Aberdeen Reservoir somehow. 

Tags: 
Watford Road
aqueduct
water supply

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