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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The small Guinea aqueduct and reservoir, located in the eponymous district of Basse-Terre, were part of a water supply network built around 1725 to power the city. These volcanic stone structures, including a single arched aqueduct bridge and a vaulted reservoir covered with a two-paned roof, allowed water to be transported from the river to the Herbs via a 500-metre masonry canal. A cylindrical basin preceded the water pipe to decant and purify the water, equipped with a drain hatch and a hardwood for a removable floor.

In 1785, under the governor of Cluny, the system was modernized with the construction of a new water bridge and a settling tank, as evidenced by a commemorative plaque engraved on the arch. The tank, inspired by the tanks of Fort Saint-Charles, was maintained through doors pierced in its gable walls. This network, which served notably the Saint-François quarter and the Rue de Penthièvre, remained in service until 1949, when a storm destroyed the initial water intake.

Ranked as historical monuments in 2003, these remains illustrate 18th century colonial hydraulic engineering in Guadeloupe. Their sober architecture, made of volcanic stone and stone, reflects local construction techniques. The site also includes an engraved cartridge and traces of the destroyed canal, which are evidence of its original operation. Today owned by the commune of Basse-Terre, the ensemble remains a rare example of the hydraulic heritage preserved in the French Antilles.

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