Location of marker is approximate, but the dam was nearby. It is shown on maps 1901, 1924.2, and 1913.1 at https://www.hkmaps.hk/viewer.html
It was built to supply water to the new Mint at East Point. The initial tender for its construction appeared as Government Notification 13 in the Gazette for 21 Jan 1865:
| Tender's will be received at the Surveyor General's Office on or before Monday, the 6th Proximo, for the formation of an Impounding Reservoir for the Water supply to the Mint. Plans and Specification may be seen on application between the hours of 11 A.M. and 3 P.M. By Order, W.T. Mercer, Colonial Secretary Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 21st January, 1865. |
The Mint opened on 7 May 1866, and I've set that as the completion date for the dam, although the dam was probably finished earlier.
The Mint was short-lived, and the building was soon repurposed to become the Smith, Wahee & Co. sugar refinery / China Sugar Refinery. Mint Dam kept its name, and became the water supply to the new sugar refinery.
In 1892 the dam was handed over to the government, on the understanding the sugar refinery would have a guaranteed supply of water. See Report of the Director of Public Works for 1892:
| 32. The Wong-nei-chung and Mint Dam reservoirs have been utilized for the supply of water to the East Point and Bowrington Sugar Refineries. 33. During the winter of 1891-92, steps were taken to measure the minimum supply obtainable during the dry season from the Mint Dam works. From the measurements made it appears that a minimum supply of 100,000 gallons per diem can be relied on during an ordinary dry season. 34. Satisfactory arrangements have been made during the past year by which the long pending question as to the rights of Messrs. JARDINE, MATHESON & Co. over the Mint Dam Works has been settled, the Government undertaking, in consideration of Messrs. JARDINE, MATHESON foregoing all rights over these works, to supply free of cost, 100,000 gallons per diem to the East Point Works. |
I'm not sure when it was demolished. I think I can still see the dam wall on the aerial photo 'Map 1934' at https://www.hkmaps.hk/viewer.html, but I believe the dam would have been removed before the Hong Kong True Light Middle School opened on this site in 1951.