1084
Meanwhile, in 1891, the Peak, which had previously been dependent on well water, was supplied from the city waterworks by pumping; and, in 1892, the city waterworks distribution scheme was completed.
In 1899 was completed the small Wongneichong reservoir with a capacity of 30,340,000 gallons, increased to 33,994,000 gallons by the use of boards.
On April 18, 1899, the New Territories were taken over and the British flag was hoisted at Taipoo. Prior to that day the land population of British Kowloon, which, according to the 1891 census, was 19,997 souls, had drawn its water supply entirely from wells, and the only waterworks undertaken by the Hongkong Government on Kowloon peninsula had been the construction, in 1895, of three wells, north of Yaumeti, to supply 250,000 gallons a day. This water was pumped into service tanks at different points. But from 1899 onwards, increasing attention was given to the schemes for storing water on the mainland. The construction of the Kowloon reservoir and of the Kowloon waterworks gravitation scheme began in 1902 and was completed in 1910.
Meanwhile further storage reservoirs were also being built on Hongkong island in the Tytam valley. The Tytam Byewash reservoir, with a capacity of 22,370,000 gallons, was completed in 1904; and the so-called Intermediate Reservoir in Tytam valley, with a capacity of 195,914,000 gallons, was completed in 1907. Work on the Tytam-tuk scheme began in 1915 and was completed on October 22, 1917.
Additional storage has since been procured at Sheklaipui, in Kowloon, with a small reservoir up in the hills; and the Aberdeen reservoir at Hongkong is a scheme of quite recent date. We now look to the Shing Mun dam to obtain for us alleviation (for some years at least) of the recurring water shortage.
1
We have already had a summary of the growth of the water-supply system of the Colony and the establishment of the reservoirs (see 11-9-33). Some reference to the persistence of the well-water system, and to a previous drought, might be given here. Most of these wells have long since been filled in, but in Kowloon during the 1929 drought some of them were temporarily reopened. One situated on the edge of the Happy Valley racecourse was also brought into use.
In the Hongkong Telegraph of September 26, 1882, in a reference to the launching of a new water-boat built by the Kowloon Dock for Messrs. Lane, Crawford & Co., mention is made of the fact that fresh water was supplied to shipping in the Harbour from springs around Whitfield Station. This was evidently in Quarry Bay locality (part of which is known as Whitfield).
There is a further reference in April 1884 to a reservoir maintained by Lane, Crawford & Co., for the use of the Navy. A complaint from the Naval authorities that there were some Chinese graves near the source of the water supply was made about this time, and addressed to Lane, Crawfords as contractors. Presumably this was also at Quarry Bay, though there is another reference in 1887 to the use by the Navy of reservoirs belonging to Messrs. Lane, Crawford & Co., in which there is mention of the water flowing past some paddy fields and through a valley.