Public supply of water
The Public Health Act, 1875 and
the Public Health ( water) Act ,1878 imposed a duty on
local authorities to ensure that a supply of wholesome
water, sufficient for all domestic purposes is provided
for every house. Although this sounded good the
reality was that the wording was subject to many
interpretations particularly in relation to the quality
of the water and what was a reasonable distance. In 1897 there were a series of
outbreaks of typhoid which appeared to be caused by
drinking polluted water supplies. This was compounded by several
long hot dry summers and dry winters leading to water
shortages. As a result John Thresh was
commissioned to provide a report of the water supply of
the County of Essex which was published in 1901. This report provided a good
picture of water supplies over 100 years ago in Eastern
Essex. Water was provided to this area
by the Maldon Union which in 1891 had a population of
23,498 people. There were three main waterworks
- Burnham on Crouch , Purleigh and Southminster. Listed below are details of the
Waterworks and an account of water supply in each
village. Waterworks Burnham on Crouch The waterworks here were
established about 12 years ago by the Maldon Rural
District Council. The water is derived from the
subsoil, gravel, partly from tube wells and partly from
a sunk well or reservoir. The population having somewhat
increased ( 2746 in 1891 and 2900 in 1899) and the
successive dry seasons having seriously lowered the
ground water, the supply has failed rapidly, and during
the autumn of last year there was a great scarcity. The Urban District Council
formed in 1898, in October, last approved a contract
with a firm of well sinkers to bore a deep well, the
work to be completed before May 1st 1901. The improvement of the supply is
therefore receiving their serious consideration. Purleigh Waterworks A scheme has just been completed
for supplying 8 parishes with water. These parishes are
Woodham Mortimer , Purleigh, Hazeleigh, Stow Maries,
Cold Norton, North Fambridge, Latchingdon and Althorne. The total population is only
2437 speread over an area of 29,000 acres. There are 26 miles of mains. The water is derived from a
spring, which yields from 60,000 to 100,000 gallons per
day of excellent water. To protect this from the risk of
pollution about 11 acres of ground was acquired. The pumping station is near the
springs and the plant consists of two vertical boilers,
two horizontal duplex steam pumps, so arranged that
either boiler will supply steam to either pump. The duty of each pump is to
deliver 6,000 gallons per hour through a rising main
1,200 yards into the surface reservoir on ground 110
feet above the pumping station. Stand posts are fitted at the
end of all the branches and along the route. A large proportion of the
cottages and farms are being directly connected with the
mains at a cost of 2d per week. The total cost was £13,000 with
the estimated revenue from water rents and rates to be
£408 per annum. Southminster Over a spring yielding some
30,000 gallons of water per day a covered tank holding
12,000 gallons has been constructed. Close by a brick tower 70 feet
high, supports a wrought iron tank holding 15000
gallons. From the tank it flows through
over two miles of mains to supply the village. The total cost was slightly over
£2,000. During the last few months the
underground tank has been enlarged and in clearing the
ground for this purpose more water was obtained. As there are other springs
nearby I have suggested that the surplus water may be
utilised for supplying the neighbouring parish of
Tillingham where there is much need of a supply. The water is soft and of
excellent quality. The
spring is fed by a large patch of gravel extending from
Asheldham to Tillingham and has been little affected by
recent dry seasons. Village water supply
Althorne (
Population 313) Formerly badly supplied by wells
and ponds. Now supplied by the Purleigh
waterworks.
Asheldham (
Population 167) The village consists of a small
group of cottages. The water is obtained from a
public roadside pump and is of excellent quality. There are many scattered farms
and houses depending on a brook or ponds for water.
Bradwell (
Population 999) Water is fairly abundant and
derived from the public and numerous private pumps. The wells are shallow and nearly
all show signs of pollution, some of them to a serious
extent. The public pump at the end of
the village yields very good water.
Cold Norton (
Population 183) Now supplied by the Purleigh
waterworks.
Creeksea (
Population 127) Water is obtained from a single
public pump.
Dengie (
Population 279) Water is obtained chiefly from
shallow wells, some of which show signs of pollution. There are a few bored wells in
this parish.
Hazeleigh (
Population 111) Now supplied by the Purleigh
waterworks.
Latchingdon (
Population 464) Now supplied by the Purleigh
waterworks.
Mayland The only water available in most
cases is rain collected from roofs and in ponds. A few cottages obtain water from
a pump at Althorne. One
or two farms have bored wells.
Mundon (
Population 263) The village is practically
dependant on a single private deep well. The Parish Council refused to be
included within the district supplied by the Purleigh
waterworks.
North Fambridge (
Population 151) Formerly supplied by a deep well
which became contaminated by the invasion of sea water. Now supplied by the Purleigh
waterworks.
Purleigh (
Population 858) The greater portion of this
parish is supplied by the Purleigh Waterworks. Some farms and isolated cottages
on higher ground have not obtained this supply and have
in some cases to go nearly a mile for water or use rain
water.
Stow Maries (
Population 176) Now supplied by the Purleigh
waterworks.
Steeple (
Population 460) The water supply is from two
bored wells belonging to the District Council. One of these appears to let in a
little subsoil water. Water is carted long distances (
two miles or more) from these wells.
St Lawrence (
Population 189) Houses very scattered. water is obtained from shallow
wells or from ditches.
Tillingham (
Population 954) Is supplied with water by three
public pumps and a number of shallow wells. The public pump yields a fairly
good water but the supply has become very short in
recent summers although the wells have been deepened. A better supply is an urgent
necessity.
Woodham Mortimer (
Population 298) Now supplied by the Purleigh
waterworks.
Woodham Walter (
Population 491)
Chiefly supplied by springs. Brook and well water also
used-some of these are unsafe
Click
here
to
visit a page with details and photographs of parish
pumps in this area
