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Hungerford's Water Works were formed in 1903. They were built at the southern end of the town, on the west side of Salisbury Road.
Photo Gallery:
The site of the waterworks, from OS 25" Map, 1911.
- The site of the waterworks, from OS 25" Map, 1911.
The initial works:
The Board of Directors included Arthur Lawrence and ?..??.. Parfett. The Managing Directors were Platt, Seddon, W.S. Raine and Oliver Brown.
In WH Summers "The Story of Hungerford" Mr Caleb Camburn (then headmaster of the Wesleyan School in Church Street) states "the first service was put in on May 1st 1904. The well shaft, bricked throughout, measures 140 feet. The adits into the chalk at the bottom allow of a day's storage, while the two surface resevoirs have each 65,000 gallons capacity. Water is lifted the 140 feet by means of a two-throw force pump and a compressed air plant, each able to deal with 3,500 gallons per hour. The height of the water in the shaft above the adits varies from 9 feet to 20 feet 6 inches, and averages 16 feet".
[This account does not quite match the notes made by John Allen c.1980, which recorded the No 1 Station had a well 120ft deep and 6ft across. The double throw pump (by Burns) was driven by a Ruston and Hornsby Paraffin driven engine, and the first brick-lined reservoir had a capacity of 70,000 gallons.]
The Second reservoir:
In 1926 a second reservoir made of reinforced concrete holding 70,000 gallons was built by a local firm. This had a set of pumps supplied by Air Pumps Ltd, and run by compressor and air chamber.
The No. 2 Station:
In August 1933 a new bore hole was sunk, 100 yards from the original station. It was 220ft deep with a 12ft bore. The new station building over the bore hole contained a diesel engine and pump (supplied by Duke & Ockendon of Littlehampton).
The No. 2 Station became operational in January 1934.
Improvements to No. 1 Station:
In 1937-38 the original bore was deppened to 195ft. The old pumping equipment was replaced by a new diesel Ruston & Hornsby engine paired with a new Duke & Ockendon pump. This all went into service eventually in January 1955 (sic!).
New Chloination plant installed:
In the early 1940s a water pressure operated chlorination plant was installed in No. 1 Station by Wallace & Turnin.
The 1939 Kelly's Directory records that Hungerford Water Works Co Ltd in the High Street had Angus Marshall as Secretary.
Further improvements, 1955:
In January 1955 a new submergeable pump (electrically operated) was installed by Allsebrook of Reading, and a new chlorination plant for No. 1 station.
Thames Water Authority:
On 1st April 1960 Hungerford Water Works was taken over by the Thames Water Authority.
Further improvements:
1964: Because of very low pressure in Sanden Close and Homefield Way area, a new booster station was built, housing a booster pump.
1966: The third reservoir (of reinforced concrete) was built. The NWN reported in 1965 "A 500,000 gallon service reservoir to be built at the Hungerford pumping station will improve the storage there and give consumers a slightly better pressure.A tender of £70,000 for the Hungerford reservoir has been accepted by Thames Valley Water Board from Messrs. Howard Farrow Ltd."
May 1970: The old pumping equipment was removed from No. 2 Station, and replaced by a new submergible (electric) pump.
July 1970: Because of the extra demand for water in the Priory Avenue, Coldharbour Road, John O'Gaunt School and Lancaster Square areas, a new booster house was built by local builder Tony Gibbs.
Further enlargement, 2011:
The Adviser of 18 Feb 2011 included a report of expansion of the resevoir:
Hungerford reservoir, off Sanden Road, is being expanded to safeguard the town's water resources for at least the next 25 years. The 2.2 megalitre enclosed reservoir will be expanded by 1.1 megalitres.
Thames Water will spend the next six months, from February 17 to the end of August, building an additional cell on the reservoir to increase its capacity by a third. Lawrence Gosden, Thames Water's head of capital delivery, said: "We provide THE essential service - clean, safe drinking water and sanitation - to nearly 14m people across London and the Thames Valley, and as a long-term business our job is to make sure we can do this effectively not Just today but for many decades to come.
"Expanding Hungerford reservoir will enable our water resources to keep pace with the forecast rise in demand caused by predicted population growth for at least the next 25 years. "Each one of our water customers uses a tonne a week of water on average. Making sure there is enough to go round is a must-do job, which is why the £800,000 project we're doing at Hungerford is so important."
The new cell on the covered-over reservoir, which supplies 2,800 properties in the Hungerford area, is being designed to fit sympathetically into its new surroundings, with all efforts made to minimise the impact of the work on nearby residents.
Anthony Buckwell, the mayor of Hungerford, said: "Improving the town's water supply is something to be welcomed in light of probable increases in population in future.
The Newbury Weekly News of 24 Feb 2011 reported:
Work begins on reservoir project:
An £800,000 project is under way to expand Hungerford reservoir's capacity by a third.
Thames Water will spend the next six months, until the end of August, building an additional cell on the reservoir, which, the company says, will safeguard the town's water resources for at least the next 25 years.
Thames Water's head of capital delivery, Lawrence Gosden, said: "We provide the essential service - clean, safe drinking water and sanitation -to nearly 14m people across London and the Thames Valley and as a long-term business our job is to make sure we can do this effectively, not just today, but for many decades to come.
"Expanding Hungerford reservoir will enable our water resources to keep pace with the forecast rise in demand caused by predicted population growth for at least the next 25 years. Each one of our water customers uses a tonne a week of water on average. Making sure there is enough to go round is a must-do job, which is why the £800,000 project we're doing at Hungerford is so important."
Improving the town's water supply is something to be welcomed in light of probable increases in population in future.
Thames Water said that the new cell on the covered-over reservoir, which supplies 2,800 properties in the Hungerford area, was being designed to "fit sympathetically to its new surroundings, with all efforts made to minimise the impact of the work on nearby residents".
Hungerford mayor Anthony Buckwell said: "Improving the town's water supply is something to be welcomed in light of probable increases in population in future. We will obviously be keeping a close eye on Thames Water to ensure the expansion work at the reservoir is carried out as sensitively as possible."
The reservoir acts as a holding tank, taking in water from the adjacent water treatment plant during off-peak periods so there is enough to supply all customers in the area when demand for water increases.
Water is abstracted from underground boreholes before being treated, cleaned and fed into Hungerford reservoir, which stores the water and feeds it on demand into the local mains network to go to people's taps.
The Newbury Weekly News of 29 Sep 2011 reported:
Work to improve town's reservoir nears completion:
An £800,000 project to expand Hungerford reservoir's capacity by a third is almost finished, Thames Water said this week.
The company began building an additional cell on the reservoir off Salisbury Road in February, to safeguard the town's water resources for at least the next 25 years.
Hungerford is a storage reservoir - a covered-over holding tank that stores treated water on its way to 2,800 properties in the area.
Thames Water's head of capital delivery, Lawrence Gosden, said: "We provide essential service - clean, safe drinking water and sanitation - to nearly 14m people across London and the Thames Valley, and as a longterm business our job is t make sure we can do this effectively, not just today, but for many decades to come.
"Expanding Hungerford reservoir will enable our water resources to keep pace with the forecast rise in demand caused by predicted population growth for at least the next 25 years. Each one of our water customers uses a tonne a week of water on average. Making sure there is enough to go round is a must-do job, which is why the £800,000 project we're doing at Hungerford is so important."
Thames Water said that the new cell on the covered-over reservoir was designed to "fit sympathetically to its new surroundings, with all efforts to minimise the impact of the work on nearby residents."
Former town councillor Anthony Buckwell, who was mayor at the time the work began, said in February: "Improving the town's water supply is something to be welcomed in light of probable increases in population in future."
The reservoir acts as a holding tank, taking in water from the adjacent treatment plant during off-peak periods so there is enough to supply all customers in the area when demand for water increases.
Water is abstracted from underground bore holes before being treated, cleaned and fed into Hungerford reservoir, which stores the water and feeds it on demand into the local mains network to go to people's taps.
The project is now in its final stages ahead of a four-week testing period to ensure the extension to the reservoir is working as planned.
Mr Gosden said: "All Hungerford's water comes from the Kennet catchment and is returned there after it is used, causing no lasting environmental impact on this important chalk stream and the wildlife habitats it supports."
Improvements 2022:
Thames Water have announced that they will be upgrading (for greater volumes to a higher quality of effluent) in 2022.
The Canal Wharf, 2011