LCQ6 : No plan to convert waterworks of higher historical value into tourist sites

Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and an oral reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (July 2) :-

Question:

 I have learnt that the Water Supplies Department has offices at a number of reservoirs.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the breakdown by locations, sizes, numbers of staff and construction dates of the reservoir offices,and whether or not the offices have been listed as statutory monuments; whether the authorities have assessed which of the reservoir offices not so listed could be considered for being listed as statutory monuments; if so, of the assessment results; and

(b) whether it has considered adopting the mode of development for the former Marine Police Headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui to convert some of the reservoir office sites of historical value into tourist spots with facilities such as heritage hotels etc?


Reply:

Madam President,

(a) The Water Supplies Department (WSD) has eight waterworks with offices in the reservoir areas.  The location, size, number of staff and year of construction of each of these waterworks are listed in the following table:

                                                                                            Year of
                                                Site Area      Number of     Construction/
Waterworks     Location          sq.metre           Staff          Commissioning
**********  ********       *********   *********   *************
Shek Lei         4.5 Milestone       910               5                 1928
Pui Water       Tai Po Road
Treatment
Works

Aberdeen     Aberdeen Lower      70                -                 1931
Raw Water     Reservoir
Pumping
Station

Tai Tam Tuk   Tai Tam               1,100             3                1935
Raw Water    Reservoir Road
Pumping
Station

Tai Po Road   4.5 Milestone          900             4                1956
Water             Tai Po Road
Treatment
Works

Tai Lam Chung  161/2 Milestone    430             -                1963
Raw Water      Castle Peak
Pumping         Road, Tai Lam
Station               Chung

Tai Mei Tuk     Bride's Pool           1,600           2               1968
Raw Water      Road, Tai Mei
Pumping          Tuk, Tai Po
Station

High Island      High IslandPak        2,100           2               1975
Raw Water     Reservoir, Tam
Pumping         Chung, Sai Kung
Station

Lower Shing   Lower Shing             1,400          2                1983
Mun No.2      Mun Road,
Raw Water     Sha Tin
Pumping
Station

 None of the buildings of the above waterworks have been listed as "statutory monuments" under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance.  The Antiquities Advisory Board has assessed the historical and architectural values of the buildings of individual waterworks previously and has listed the Tai Tam Tuk Raw Water Pumping Station at Tai Tam Reservoir Road as a Grade I historical building and the Shek Lei Pui Water Treatment Works at 4.5 Milestone Tai Po Road and the Aberdeen Raw Water Pumping Station at Aberdeen Lower Reservoir as Grade III historical buildings for reference in carrying out heritage conservation work.

(b) All of the above waterworks are still operational and there are various electrical and mechanical installations in the buildings concerned.  Since we have no plan to vacate or abandon these buildings at this stage, we have not considered converting the buildings of higher historical value into tourist sites.  However, the WSD is willing to consider allowing individual groups or organisations to visit those buildings of higher historical value by appointment, provided that water supply is not disrupted.

End/Wednesday, July 2, 2003
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