PRESTON RESERVOIR
The
original Maroondah Aqueduct in 1891 joined the Yan Yean Pipe, near the Preston Reservoir.
1863
New reservoir proposed for Preston
1865
The Reservoir (No. 1) was built as a purification storage
facility, with water then piped into Melbourne, flow rate was 16 million gallons per day, from Yan Yean
1878
Accident at Morang caused serious disruption to water flow
1908
Monash won a contract with the Melbourne & Metropolitan
Board of Works to build a large reservoir (No. 2) at Preston, the second in the locality. Still in use, it resembles
a vast swimming pool only partly sunk into the ground.
The walls project part-way above the original ground surface.
As the walls of this type of reservoir were constructed, earth excavated from the basin was piled up behind them to form embankments.
These serve as a second line of containment, and also help the walls resist the outward pressure of the water. However, when
the water level is low the inward pressure of the earth is the dominating effect. The walls were therefore designed to resist
either outward or inward forces tending to cause tilting or (less importantly) sliding.
1909
The new reservoir was completed and taken into use, carried 25 million gallons per day
1909
Pipes were replaced near the CBD
