Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/1202034
In Focus: water resources Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Waltham Abbey, Enfield, Southgate and Hornsey. Along the way it feeds into the water treatment works at Hornsey Wood and Coppermills, as well as helping to top up the King George VI and William Girling reservoirs. The original spring provided 10 million litres a day to the capital but, as demand grew during the Industrial Revolution, this increased to 102 million litres a day when the New River was connected to the River Lea in the 1700s. That doubled in the 1800s with the construction of pump- ing stations to abstract water from deep wells. In addition, a series of boreholes were dug in the 1990s to enable surplus treated water to be stored in the chalk aquifer and then pumped into the New River when extra water is required. Today the New River provides eight per cent – around 220 million litres a day – of the water London needs, and doubles as a quiet retreat for walkers and wildlife lovers. New boss Frankie Somers has been at the helm for a couple of months a'er 17 years elsewhere in the business. "One of the first things that struck me when I joined is that this is not just to supply fresh water to London, it's a living, breathing, vein through the city," he said. "I was blown away by the biological diversity that thrives along the river. Dur- ing my many walks along the river banks I have seen kingfishers, swans, geese, dragonflies, water voles, newts, bats, woodpeckers and parakeets, and magnifi- cent architecture. "I cannot emphasise how important it is for the people who grow up around it. Sixty-five per cent of it is open to the public. Inner city schools are encouraged to come along and learn about wildlife. It's as close to the countryside as some of the children have ever been. "I have worked in the industry for 17 years and I had never heard of the New River. It's like our best kept secret." Frankie and the team spend the summer clearing weeds – including one particularly virulent species that can grow up to a foot each day – that can cause blockages and flooding. It is also a legal requirement for them to walk the length of the river twice a week, checking for leaks and erosion, clearing any other debris from the water, and checking the level of the boreholes. Somers said: "It's the ultimate chal- lenge – getting water from A to B in the safest way possible. Too much water could cause flooding, not enough could lead to supply issues. It's like spinning plates. We rely on that water to be as unrestricted as possible, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year." Caption • NEW RIVER HISTORY Before 1600, London's water supply was limited to the River Thames, streams, wells and springs. These sources, o en contaminated, were distributed by sellers carrying water in wooden buckets. In 1606 a Parliamentary Act granted the Corporation of London the power to make a "new river" from Chadwell Spring to north London and, in 1609, the authority to carry out the works was given to Hugh Myddelton, a goldsmith and merchant adventurer who proceeded to build it over the next four years. Over 200 labourers were paid the equivalent of 4p a day to dig it out, and skilled carpenters earned 6.5p a day to wharf the banks and build bridges. Banks were raised and strengthened with clay to stop leaks. The water was then brought to the city's streets through 400 miles of hollowed- out elm pipes from ponds at New River Head in Islington. The total cost of the construction was £18,500 – about £5 million in today's money. New River performance manager Frankie Somers. New River supervisor Gary Stephens inside New Gauge. 18 | FEBRAURY 2020 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk WATER RESOURCES