It was built by the Spanish authorities in 1882[1] with a capacity of 15 million gallons to provide the residents of Manila and its surrounding areas with an adequate water supply.

During the Philippine Revolution, the Katipunan attempted to seize El Depósito from Spanish colonial authorities in the Battle of San Juan del Monte in 1896[4] and it was held by Filipinos during the Philippine-American War.

[5] Efforts to rehabilitate the underground reservoir began in 2016, when the University of the Philippines Archaeological Studies program conducted assessment and excavation of the structure.

[5] The National Historical Commission of the Philippines cleaned El Depósito’s tunnel in 2018 in preparation for the development of the site as a tourist destination.

[8] From the main source of the Marikina River, water was pumped to the reservoir through a 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) length of cast iron pipes passing through the Santolan area.