| AdminHistory | Prior to 1800, the water supply in Birmingham was still medieval, in that the key water supplies were rivers, often polluted, or public and private wells. In 1808 some moves were made to achieve a better and more organised town supply, but it was not until 1826 that Parliament passed a local Act that formed the Birmingham Waterworks Company. The company only used the River Tame for its supply, and in 1831 the Aston Reservoir and a storage reservoir at Edgbaston were completed. However, both the company and the state of the water came under severe criticism by the General Inspector for the Board of Health during his assessment in 1849. The company did maintain a supply of water throughout its area, and in 1850 Birmingham was one of the few, if not only, towns in the country that enjoyed a constant supply of water.
Under the Improvement Act, 1851, the Corporation was empowered to purchase on a compulsory basis any works that would benefit the people of the town. Almost immediately, the Corporation made enquiries into the purchase of the company, but these initiatives came to nothing until 1875, when the Corporation and the mayor, Joseph Chamberlain, renewed their interest in both the water and gas supplies to the town. Within the year, in January 1876, the Birmingham Waterworks Company and its plant were, like the gas supply, taken over by the Town Council. Despite further investment in 1879, an inquiry showed that there was not enough water locally to serve the town. In the Corporation Water Act, 1892, the city was allowed to acquire water in the Elan Valley, where they built several reservoirs, as well as a receiving reservoir, filtration works and pumping station at Frankley. These works were started in 1893, formerly opened by King Edward VII in 1904 and completed in 1906.
The Department began to transfer a lot of its old reservoirs and wells to the Parks Department, but by 1914 it was clear that the there was need for more water due to the rapid expansion of the city. Delayed due to the war, between 1920 and 1939 there was a massive programme to replace and install new piping from the Elan Valley to Birmingham. Between 1930 - 1932, the old pumping stations at Dalton Street and Edgbaston were replaced by a Central Works Depot at Egbaston and a new reservoir was opened at Bartley Green. With further demand evident again from the mid-1930s, with the construction of new housing and industry, further reservoirs were built at Northfield in 1936 and Perry Barr in 1943. More water was also required from Wales and the Claerwen Dam, and reservoirs were opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1952. Further mains were added in the 1960s, again due to heavy industrial usage. In 1961, the council investigated the River Severn as a source for water, and in 1968 began to draw water from it. In 1962, the Council began to add fluoride to its water supplies.
The Water Act of 1973 brought together the many water and sewerage undertakings in England and Wales into ten regional water authorities, each responsible for water supply, sewage treatment and river protection within its area. Severn Trent was formed in 1974 as a regional, state-owned water authority. It was based in Birmingham and responsible for water management and supply, and waste water treatment and disposal, in the catchment areas of two of Britain's greatest rivers. Each authority was led by a board with representatives from Local Authorities and Central Government. Severn Trent Water Authority took over the water supply in 1974. |