Pok Fu Lam Reservoir

Pok Fu Lam Reservoir
Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, viewed from High West
Pok Fu Lam Reservoir
Location	Hong Kong
Coordinates	22.26498°N 114.13727°E / 22.26498; 114.13727
Type	reservoir
Water volume	260,000 m^3 (210 acre⋅ft)

Pok Fu Lam Reservoir
Former Watchman's Cottage
Chinese	薄扶林水塘
Jyutping	Bok6 fu4 lam4 seoi2 tong 4
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Bófúlín Shuǐtáng Wade–Giles Po-fu-lin Shui-tʻang Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Bohk fùh làhm séui tòhng Jyutping Bok6 fu4 lam4 seoi2 tong 4

Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, formerly known as the Pokefulum Reservoir,^[1] is the first reservoir in Hong Kong. It is located in a valley in Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Island. It is near The Peak.It is actually two reservoirs with capacity of 260,000 m³.^{[clarification needed][2][3][4]}

History

Before the completion of the reservoir in 1863, the people in the city got their water by nearby streams or wells. These methods however were unable to support the rapid growth of the Hong Kong population since 1841. Due to diseases caused by polluted water, The Hong Kong Government needed an urgent solution to the problem. Thus, they offered a reward of 1,000 pounds to anyone who provided a solution to disease on 14 October 1859. The colonial government also allocated a budget of £25,000 for the project. On 29 February 1860, S. B. Rawling, a clerk from Royal Engineers suggested the construction of a dam across the valley of Pokfulam to collect rainwater. The reservoir was completed in 1863.

The construction did not meet the needs of the population because of budget-cuts, which left the dam to be far from adequate. Another reservoir above the original was built to meet the needs of the growing colony in 1877.

Monument declaration

Six Historic Structures of Pok Fu Lam Reservoir were declared as monuments in 2009. These include four masonry bridges, gauge basin and the Former Watchman's Cottage which is now Pok Fu Lam Management Centre.^[5]

References

1. The Chronicle and Directory for China, Corea, Japan, the Philippines. 1870. p. 136.
2. http://www.wsd.gov.hk/en/education/fun_of_fishing_in_hong_kong/brief_introduction_of_reservoirs/pok_fu_lam_reservoir/index.html ^{[dead link‍]}
3. "Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (Cap. 53) Antiquities and Monuments (Declaration of Monuments and Historical Buildings) (Consolidation) (Amendment) Notice 2020" (PDF). legco.gov.hk. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
4. "Hong Kong Legislative Council" (PDF). legco.gov.hk. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
5. 6 Historic Structures of Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, Conserve and Revitalise HongKong Heritage