Water From Wales

Sir Robert Rawlinson urged use on Elan and Claerwen, 1871. Act passed 1892: desperate need for more water - industry, public cleanliness, population growth, pollution of wells, dwindling of streams due to depletion of water table and diversion of brooks into sewers. Gathering ground of 70 square miles bought in Radnor and Brecknock, highest points over 2000 feet, nearly 70 inches of rain annually. Three reservoirs planned on each river, Elan three built with lake to provide compensation water to Wye below. Filter beds, 73-mile aqueduct, bridges, pipes, syphons, filtration works and receiving Reservoir at Frankley: gravity flow to most of town, tower and pumping station at Warley. First water to Birmingham, 1904, soft water supplied by 1700 miles of mains to several counties.