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Misty Morning on the Llangollen By John G Carlaw
Disclaimer: The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this Newsletter but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed herein may be construed as policy or official announcement unless stated otherwise. The IWA accepts no liability for any matter in the Newsletter The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distribution company limited by guarantee Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a charity no. 212342 Registered Office: Unit 16B First Floor, Chiltern Court, Asheridge Road, Chesham HP5 1WA 1
Content From The Editor From The Chairman From The Regional Chairman Maldon Water Supply Our Summer Looking Back Essex Waterways
Page 2 Page 2 Page 3 Page 5 Page 6 Page 8 Page 10
Crick Boat Show A Day in the Life Aquatic Midges Press Release Social Update Just For Fun Branch Committee
Page 12 Page 13 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 20
From The Editor A very Happy and Prosperous New Year to you all. I hope that you have managed to keep your feet dry during the recent wet weather. Our local river in Feering managed to burst its banks and flood the meadow land and farm land. We still need you to dig out those photographs, write that article, document those waterway memories as we would still like to increase our contributors to the next Newsletter. Last inputs for Spring Newsletter 21/03/2024. For those on e-mail please send your input to chelmsford.news@waterways.org.uk
From The Chairman I hope you all had a happy and Healthy Christmas. There seemed to be a lot of viruses and covid again this year which I think we will unfortunately need to get used to. On a more positive note, we went to a Warners Hotel in Oxfordshire between Christmas and New Year to celebrate Bob’s birthday. Whilst we were there we went to Banbury, and I was thrilled when I saw signs for the Canal. We spent a happy hour or so in the Banbury Museum looking at the exhibits on the canal (a lot interactive for Children) and gazing out the window at the swing bridge, boats and Tooley’s Yard which has a very long history. Information about this history is shown below with credit and acknowledgement to the Banbury Museum and Tooley’s Yard. Tooley’s, one of the oldest working dry docks on the Inland Waterways, has been in continuous use since 1778 when it was established to build and repair the wooden horse-drawn narrow boats which plied the newly constructed canal network, so vital to the development of the Industrial Revolution. For the next 15 years the Oxford Canal was one of the most important and profitable navigations being the main route between the Midlands and London. Gradually, rail and then road transport eroded the importance of the canals (although during the Second World War they were once again used extensively), but Tooley’s, immortalised in Tom Rolt’s popular book ’Narrowboat’, kept on working up until 1995, when its future was threatened by the Castle Quay development. But good fortune prevailed, and the site was saved and incorporated in the new Museum and Heritage centre. Now a scheduled Ancient Monument and run by a private company, Tooley’s is in business again with its dry dock providing a service for the boating community and an opportunity for visitors to see work in progress as well as the fully restored workshops, dating from the 1930s, which include a carpenter’s store, a belt-driven machine workshop and a paint store. There is also a 200 year-old forge where a blacksmith plies his trade. 2
From The Chairman (cont)
This canal, the South Oxford, was the first I ever went on in the early 80s with a hire boat from Rose Boats (based on the North Oxford), so this brought back special memories of the area albeit somewhat changed. When I visited Tooley’s Yard was there, but mooring was alongside the old bus station. Banbury was our final destination point before turning round to head back. I hope that 2024 brings you much happiness health and happy memories both past and in the making. Rebecca Loader From The Regional Chairman As usual at this time of year, I would like to wish you and your family all the best for the New Year and to express the hope that it will be a happy and prosperous one. In the dark days of winter, it is often difficult to remember how much we enjoy the summer cruising the Inland Waterways, but spring is not far away and once again we will be able to get out on the water. Can I thank all of you who filled in the membership survey at the end of last year. At the time of writing I have not seen the results but I expect I will have the opportunity to talk to you about them later in the year. In my opinion one of the major problems that IWA has is that, over many years, it has drifted from being a proactive campaigning organisation to a reactive one. Some years ago, Chelmsford branch produced a proposal to connect Chelmsford to the River Stort near Bishop Stortford. 3
From The Regional Chairman (cont) We then waited for the opportunity to start this great vision, by building the connection between the rivers in Chelmsford to the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation. No further work was done on the rest of the route, yet, by just walking the proposed route, it is obvious that we would need a lock, or locks of some type somewhere north of Victoria Road in Chelmsford. By not identifying what would be needed and starting campaigning for this, what opportunities have been missed during the redevelopment that have taken place in the area? We might have even managed to get the foundations for a new lock built as part of one of the developments. Here I have to put my hands up as well, for, at a London Region level, we produced a Vision for London’s Waterways but have done nothing to identify the opportunities and threats to delivering the ideas we set out. This year sees the 50th anniversary of Tom Rolt’s death on the 9th May 1974, he was along with Robert Aichman one of the founders of the Inland Waterways Association. I had the pleasure of meeting his widow Sonia, who was one of the Idle Women who crewed the narrowboats, delivering coal, on the Grand Union, during WW II. His foresight and enthusiasm for maintaining not only for the canals, but all the heritage of the industrial revolution is, in my opinion, still an inspiration to us all.
By now, you would have heard that we have again increased our membership fees. With inflation at the levels they are we have had no option if we are to have enough funds to continue campaigning for the future of the canals. If you haven’t already done so, have you considered paying monthly by Direct Debit to spread the cost over the year? Have a word with Chesham and they can set it up for you. Whilst on the subject of raising money to help pay for the Association’s work, if you purchase things on line have a look at the, Easyfundraising website https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk. This year I had to purchase a new fridge and raised over £17 for the association whilst getting a better deal than offered by local shops. So far, other members using this website have raised nearly £2500.
Paul Strudwick London Region Chairperson 4
Maldon’s Water Supply The Water supply to Maldon and Burnham differs from the rest of the Maldon District in that it originates from the Rivers Blackwater, Chelmer and Ter, treated at Langford. The supply to the rest of the District originates from the River Stour treated at either Langham or Layer de la Haye. The treatment works at Langford came about as a result of a Thomas Brassey requiring water for his steam locomotives running between London and Southend. Prior to the 1800’s water was mainly derived from springs and shallow wells. With the migration to towns, fuelled by the Industrial Revolution, these water supplies became inadequate. With the invention of the Hydraulic Ram and steam driven pumps water then became available from the deep, chalk layer beneath the London Clay. Thomas Brassey who was involved with bringing the Railway from London to Tilbury and Southend in 1856, started a private company, the Southend Waterworks Company, and sank a deep well into the chalk in Milton Road in 1863 with a storage reservoir and tower, in nearby Cambridge Road. This became a Public company on his death in 1871 Distribution mains were also laid to supply the local population with the water not required for railway use. This was quickly followed by other wells in centres of population close to Southend town, and eventually 39 wells were sunk in an area ranging from Shoeburyness to Nevendon. With an everincreasing population and water from the chalk being limited by over pumping, another source of water was required, freshwater rivers being the only water available. Desalination of sea water was out of the question due to high energy requirements. This situation was mirrored by the South Essex Waterworks Company (SEWW) which had started with water flowing from a chalk pit in Grays which had been flowing to waste into the River Thames. Both Companies raised a Bill to take water from the River Stour in Suffolk, which was rejected due to local authority opposition. The Southend Company was then given permission in 1821 to take water from the rivers Blackwater, Chelmer and Ter, which joined the estuary at Langford. Contained within the Act was the obligation to soften the water as the population had been supplied with soft borehole water A pumping station containing three steam driven pumps and a treatment works were built opening in 1927. One of the pumps can be seen operating at the Museum of Power in Langford, previously the Pumping Station. Water emanating from the chalk at Grays was hard, due to no natural softening underground. Therefore when SEWW was granted permission to extract water from the River Stour there was no softening requirement. Instead dual sand filtration was utilised, Rapid the Slow sand filtration followed by residual chlorination. With the trunk main from Langford to Southend, passing by Maldon, a metered supply was made available to the Corporation in 1933, which supplied Maldon Town and from which a 12in main was laid directly to Bradwell Power Station, and Burnham. SEWW had a 32in main via Tiptree booster to Danbury Reservoir and culminating at Herongate Reservoir near Brentwood. From this main, supplies were made available via Cold Norton Tower to supply the Dengie, including the later tower at St Lawrence. Latterly, water from the River Ouse in Cambridgeshire , has been piped to the River Stour and now direct to Abberton Reservoir, with a link to Hanningfield. David Williams 5
Our Summer Ring 2023 Part 1 Our July extended cruise was going to be 22 days, not the usual whole month. We had planned to leave Brinklow, near Rugby, head down the Grand Union Canal (GUC) to Brentford, along the Thames to Oxford, and cruise up the Oxford Canal and back to Brinklow, this was still possible in the shorter time. We left our pontoon early Monday morning, it was very windy, with sun and cloud, turning right onto the Oxford Canal, towards Rugby. We saw a pair of moorhens and very small chicks, the canal edges were lined with cream fluffy plants, one area had new wooden edging with hessian rolls, poppies, cornflower and vetch were growing from them, it was so pretty. Ascending Hillmorton Locks (3), then sharing the six double locks at Braunston, now on the Grand Union Canal, and through Braunston Tunnel, mooring near Norton Junction. Tuesday, we watched a Robin and it's youngster hopping around on the towpath just outside our window, before leaving to descend Buckby Locks (7) sharing with another narrowboat, until we reached the pound below lock 10, which was so low we had to reverse out again while CRT managed the water levels. Onwards and now raining, through Weedon Bec, then into Blisworth Tunnel, the third longest, and wet on and off in the forty-five minutes it took to pass through following a slow narrowboat, it has amazing mineral deposits in white, orange, green and brown, we moored on the visitor moorings before Blisworth Canal Museum. Early on a dry Wednesday, we saw two wide beam boats being escorted by CRT to transit the tunnel (these have to be pre-booked). When we left, the Museum was still closed, so with the help of CRT Volunteers we descended the Locks (7), next under the very ornate Cosgrove Bridge, and over the Iron Trunk Aqueduct. At Wolverton we saw lovely wall art canal side, we also noticed a lot of wide beam boats cruising and moored, and so many derelict looking boats, some sunken. We moored at Simpson, Milton Keynes.
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Our Summer Ring 2023 Part 1 (cont) Another dry day, breezy and sunny spells, Thursday started with lovely bridge reflections. We soon stopped for a trip to Dobbies Garden Centre at Fenny Stratford, Cleo loved the pet department! Onwards again, we saw a lovely full sized bicycle garden planter full of colourful flowers canal side. Soon after we came across a wide beam boat straddling the canal, one end had come off it's non-towpath side mooring, a narrowboat was trying to move it, not easy due to it's size, but with our help we managed to push it back to it's mooring, where a passerby was able to secure it again. On reaching Stoke Hammond we were glad it was still as lovely as we remembered, here we saw some Mandarin Ducks. We passed the Globe Inn near Leighton Buzzard, where they were due to be filming in a few days. At Grove Lock we saw a pair of Grey Wagtails at their nest, before mooring at Slapton. On Friday sharing locks, we continued, seeing a lot of colourful cranes near Horton Lock, the area is surrounded by hills, near the canal we saw the cranes were positioned around large hobbit like straw houses/huts, at Ivinghoe we found out all the cranes are lighting for a film set. Passing Marsworth Junction we continued our route (saving the Aylesbury Arm for another time), ascending more locks till Bulbourne Junction, passing the Wendover Arm (to do another time), and along the Tring Summit. Starting to descend locks again, we noticed the water was so clear, we could see fish in the canal. Mooring in Berkhamstead, we walked into town to eat at The Gatsby. It had been a very hot day, and we had seen a lot of dragon and damsel flies. Saturday was another warm and sunny start, descending more locks, and soon sharing locks, when a sudden short thunderstorm and rain caught me out, I slipped and banged my knee on the boat, ouch, then sunny again. The route along here near Hemmel Hempstead, was full of moored boats, all shapes and sizes, presumably live aboards. Passing Apsley, Kings Langley, Cassiobury Park, to moor at Rickmansworth, we were lucky to get the last slot. We had heard and seen a lot of helicopters overhead today, it was the UK F1 Grand Prix this weekend. The evening saw us at The Feathers for a delicious meal and dessert.
Sunday morning, and the bruise on my knee was impressive. We cruised passed continual moored boats for miles. At Springwell Lock near Harefield, we were amused to see a 'ULEZ ZONE' sign on the canal bridge, it looked like it was aimed at the canal and not the road! Again today, we have seen a lot of coots, swans, moorhen, mallard, and their young, as well as damsel flies, and some parakeets. Sharing locks again, and seeing a number of sunken boats, one a wide beam which was full of stuff, including a skip on the stern deck, no wonder it sunk!! We moored below Cowley Lock, very pretty with numerous hanging baskets, we watched the 'Jules Fuels' narrowboat pair come down the lock, to customers moored on the opposite bank. At 1am I woke to hear two boats pass in the dark to the lock. 7
Our Summer Ring Part 1 (cont) On Monday, another lovely day, we passed Uxbridge, then Cowley Peachy Junction, where the Slough Arm heads off to the right, we continued on to Bulls Bridge Junction where a damsel fly landed on my arm, with one hand I managed to get a photo! The area along here was full of floating rubbish, even though the canal water was clear. Descending the Hanwell Flight (6), which runs next to the now closed Victorian Mental Asylum, onwards towards Brentford we saw pairs of Tufted Ducks and Cormorants. We moored above the Gauging Locks at Brentford, ready for our booked trip down through Thames Lock and onto the Thames the next day. It is a very busy area with bikes, walkers, joggers, dog walkers, and planes over head, all part of the canal scene. It had been a very varied trip down the GUC, and the first time we had done the part below Leighton Buzzard to Bulls Bridge. We had seen lots of wildlife, and kingfishers on and off throughout. It was sad to see the sorry state of some of the boats and sunken boats, but we saw lovely scenery and met some friendly people along the way. More of our trip to follow next time.
Stephanie, John & Cleo Looking Back Commercial use of the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation ceased in 1972 when Brown & Son, Timber Merchants in Chelmsford stopped importing timber along the waterway. The future of the Navigation was uncertain. The following May Bank Holiday weekend in 1973 the London and South East Branch of the Inland Waterways Association held the first Chelmsford Rally of Boats. This was held over three days in the Kings Head Meadow, the site of the current Baddow Road car park. Having been involved with subsequent Boat Rallies and looking at the programme for the weekend, it is clear that the event took a lot of organising. If those involved were able to see the popularity of the Navigation today, I am sure they would be pleased with what they initiated. At the time Maurice Frost, Chairman of the Rally Committee explained:
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Looking Back (cont WHY CHELMSFORD? The Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation has been well maintained and used regularly by commercial traffic since its opening 175 years ago. The main use ceased in 1972 and since this time only occasional barges have used the Navigation end to end. Pleasure craft have hitherto been unable to use the locks principally because of the Company’s need to conserve water for commercial traffic and for the Water Companies. It would now appear logical with the lessening of barge traffic that water will be available for some pleasure craft.
The London and South East branch of the IWA with the co-operation of the Navigation Company, are holding this, the first Rally of Boats in Chelmsford to focus public attention on this most attractive, rural waterway and to highlight its potential as a County amenity. The use of the Navigation by pleasure craft is normally restricted to canoes and other light craft which can be portaged round the thirteen locks which separate Chelmsford from the Blackwater estuary. A number of angling associations also enjoy their sport from the banks and occasionally ramblers are to be found blazing a trail along the towing path. It should be remembered however, that this is a Navigation with locks capable of passing large craft. The passage of loaded barges did not in any way spoil the angler’s or canoeist’s sport so there is reason to suppose that larger pleasure craft, properly controlled in limited numbers, should not do otherwise and there is evidence on other navigable waterways of peaceful co-existence between anglers and boaters.
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Looking Back (cont) The Rally Committee welcome you to Chelmsford and will endeavour to make your stay a pleasant and memorable one. Thank you for coming, it is your support which creates the public interest which will help support the amenity development of this and all other navigations. Some two years later in April 1975 the Essex Chronicle printed a short article headed “Canal opens up for boats”. The article referred to the launch of the trip boat Victoria as well as the canal being open to private motor pleasure craft and yachtsmen being able to sail almost into Chelmsford itself! Well done IWA! Roy Chandler
Essex Waterways Update When we approach the end of October activity on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation is much less and it is therefore the time to undertake repairs and maintenance that require any lock closures or the refurbishment of facilities. Already before the year ended the EWL team had closed Little Baddow Lock to repair leaking gate cills and carried out temporary repairs on leaking gates at Stonhams Lock. As now seems to be the norm we are seeing a lot or rain at this time of year and the river going into flood which interrupts lock work and prevents our workboats from operating. Work is currently underway at the Heybridge Basin Facilities block where more work is required to deal with foundation and floor problems. Extensive refurbishment work has commenced on our trip boat Albert which involves removing the floor and ballast so that the bilges can be cleaned and painted. Blackwater Dawn has had repairs to leaks and the ceiling around the foredeck. At Chelmer Waterside in Chelmsford Taylor Wimpey have contractors working at the “Red Shed” in Wharf Road as we have always known it but which has recently been painted black. This former Gas Works maintenance building which stands alongside Springfield Basin will be retained for a commercial use, exact details currently unknown. As part of their recent residential development Taylor Wimpey are required to carry out landscaping around this including the formation of car parking and completion of a waterside path which will link their recently completed path with those in Springfield Basin. This new waterside path is complicated in that the Navigation bank here was sold to a third party by the Administrator when the Navigation was in Administration in 2003-2005. Essex Waterways does however have a planning permission for a joint venture with the owners for ten residential moorings along this bank. This will require repairs to the existing wharf wall where it is known that a section collapsed in 1992 when Springfield Basin was being dredged by the National Rivers Authority. 10
Essex Waterways Update (cont)
Our lengthsmen have been removing trees which have grown from the wharf wall over recent years but this also has build up of around 500mm of soil on top of its coping stones and tree stumps that need to be removed. Completion of the Taylor Wimpey work will make it very difficult to access the wharf wall for removal of this soil and stumps. We have therefore instructed their Contractor to clear this soil and remove it from site so that the condition of the wall and extent of repairs can be assessed. This work promptly commenced the following day and was completed prior to Christmas.
I must also mention another part of our team, those in the Paper Mill Office which is now also the registered office for Essex Waterways Ltd, having moved this from IWA at Chesham. The team in Paper Mill have been busy moving all our remaining administration work from IWA Head Office to Paper Mill so that we now deal with all our accounts, billing, banking and on-line licence sales from Paper Mill. This will achieve greater efficiency and improved control over our operations. Roy Chandler 11
Crick Boat Show 2023 This year we attended the Crick Boat Show in our Motorhome, and camped for the three day weekend (Saturday to Monday). We set up on our pitch and were pleasantly surprised at how many campers were already on site, although some of the volunteers camp for the whole show, setting up and dismantling, before and after. Heading into the show on the Saturday for a wander, looking round some of the stalls, before getting some lunch in the food court, and sitting in the sun. Later while walking around the quayside, we saw some friends from Braintree, who were looking to update their narrowboat. Further round we bumped into the chap who sold us our narrowboat, he is working for Norton Cranes now. We also stopped at the Aquavista stand and chatted briefly to the Brinklow crew (our current marina). It was turning out to be a day of meeting friends and acquaintances, as we also met the Crick Harbourmaster who we knew from our time moored at Crick
We headed back to camp for a while, before returning to the big marquee for the evening entertainment, we enjoyed listening to Acoustic Cool, then the headliner Dr Feelgood, a band formed on Canvey Island in the 1970's, we stayed for a while before retiring for the night, to rest our ears! On Sunday, another lovely sunny day, we had a lazy start, then went into the show again to look round the stalls and stands we missed, using the VIP Marquee to eat our lunch in comfort and in the shade. Browsing the mix of stalls, food, crafts, boating marquee, Midland Chandlers, IWA, CRT, all things marine, and waterways associations. Seeing the Trip Boats coming and going, always popular, and fully booked, looking at the rows of Historic Narrowboats on show, alongside new boats, narrow and wide craft, and two large floating homes, a first at Crick. There was the usual Seminars, Masterclass Talks, and Boat Handling Taster Courses, all which appeared popular and best pre-booked. In the evening we went to listen to the entertainment again, starting with Murphy's Marbles & Sean Gannon, followed by headliner Mercury: The Ultimate Queen Tribute who were fantastic, 'Freddie' such a good lookalike and sound alike. On a cooler Monday, we prepared for our trip home, having enjoyed the weekend at Crick, plenty to do daytime, and fabulous evening entertainment. Stephanie Mason 12
A Day in the Life of a Water Company, Laboratory Assistant I commenced working for the Southend Waterworks Company at Langford Laboratory, as a Laboratory Assistant, on the 3rd March 1958 aged 16, just before my 17th birthday on the 26th April. On leaving home I walk the half mile or so to the bus stop outside the Railway Station. On the way I walk through Central Park and observe the condition of the lake, and if any fishermen, what they have caught. There is a lot of activity outside the railway station with people rushing to catch trains. Some are dropped off by cars which circle the island where the bus stop is situated. On one occasion there was a minor collision and the lady driver who had the back of her car hit, leapt out to remonstrate with the other driver oblivious of the fact she was wearing a flimsy short nighty. She rapidly returned to her car when she realised. I get on the bus when it arrives, it is a MOORES Bus based in Kelvedon which travels to Maldon via Hatfield Peverel and Langford. I normally travel with a girl who is a Secretary at Does of Ulting, each Monday she describes the shoes that she has bought at the weekend, a weekly occurrence! When the bus approaches the entrance to the Langford Treatment Plant it slows down to enable me to leap off, without it stopping. I walk up the short drive, enter the building and say Good Morning to Fred Shrimpton the Works Foreman, climb the stairs to the first floor and taking off my jacket put on my white laboratory coat from the cupboard on the landing. I enter the laboratory and say good morning to “Bunny” Rogers the other member of the Lab staff, and Heather Morris the Clerical Assistant who also works part time in the Laboratory. The work is divided into two categories Bacteriology and Chemistry. Bacteriology The methodology used was described as the multiple tube method, glass test tubes containing a sterile growth media McConkey broth and an inverted small tube which had filled with media on sterilisation, and an aluminium can. A known volume of water sample was added to five tubes and incubated at 37 degrees C. If there were bacteria present the colour changed from red to yellow and gas collected in the small internal tube. Samples were then transferred from these tubes via a 5-millimetre loop of platinum wire that had been flame sterilised in a Bunsen burner, to a series of other tubes containing different media to confirm the type of bacteria present. Flaming the tops of the glass tubes which are held between your fingers, caused hard pads of skin to form which were heat resistant. You can see how evolution works, as if several generations carried out these practices, eventually children would be born with the extra pads of skin. The main indicator bacteria are coliform bacteria which are present in the most numbers in soil and untreated water. E Coli bacteria indicate a sewage pollution. The first job of the day is to examine the bacteriological samples, in case there are any positive results, and record the results, and take any action if required. 13
A Day in the Life of a Water Company, Laboratory Assistant (cont) Next, daily samples have to be taken from the treated water reservoir situated between the treatment plant and Ulting Lane, also samples from the raw water entering the plant, from the storage reservoirs. The rivers are sampled on a weekly basis. After lunch, samples would be received from the Southend supply area, from all boreholes in supply and underground treated water Reservoirs and Towers, and newly laid mains awaiting approval. The Bacteriologist also analysed the recycled Lime used for softening. Hydrated lime used for softening becomes chalk during the process. This Chalk was burned in the lime Kiln, returning it to quicklime which was hydrated with water. After several cycles the impurity level rose to make it impractical for use. At the end of the day, it was down the drive to await the bus, leaping on as it slowed down without stopping, only for it to stop a hundred yards up the road for the driver to get out and see his girlfriend off the bus to her back door, oblivious of the fact the bus Inspector was on board.
Chemical Analysis. After six months learning and practising the Bacteriological analysis, I was transferred to the main Chemical analysis. This work was far more varied and interesting, and I was fortunate enough to remain on this, only reverting to Bacteriological analysis for holiday cover and alternate Saturdays, Jack Slack working Sundays unless on holiday, as the laboratory was open seven days a week. Chemical analysis was carried out for a variety of reasons, the river water was checked to evaluate the level of pollution, and the water entering the treatment plant was monitored to establish the amount of chemicals such as lime and soda ash required for softening. The water leaving the treatment plant was monitored daily to ensure the quality regulations were met. There was a statutory limit of 150 mg/l as CaCO3 applied to the works, for the level of hardness entering distribution. 14
A Day in the Life of a Water Company, Laboratory Assistant (cont) This also applied to the Chelmsford Water Works at Sandford Mill. If exceeded, there was the risk of a fine for each day. The previous supply was solely from deep Boreholes, with a very low hardness level. The local authority independently monitored the hardness level, quarterly. After most of the routine daily analysis had been carried out the periodic monthly analysis was carried out. The General Manager, Peter Francis, insisted that personal visits were made, and samples taken, of all the homes of consumers who had complained, or enquired about the quality of the supply. These carried the attendant risks of vicious dogs, bored housewives and homosexuals. Companies were also visited who were experiencing problems with water-based systems or equipment. In summer, approximately twenty deep wells and boreholes sited all over the Southend area were used to augment the supply. These were analysed weekly as the risk of pollution was very low, the samples brought to the Laboratory by the operators who maintained the pumping stations, some living on site. The depth of these ranged from 150 to over 1000 ft down into the chalk. Most of the work was routine, except when floods occurred, and the rivers were then analysed three times a day. In summer there were also numerous visits by coach parties from the distribution area of Rayleigh, and Southend, from schoolchildren to the Women’s Institute. The older visitors were entertained to afternoon tea at the Danbury Tea Rooms after their visit. There was also a seasonal analysis pattern with summer bringing Algal and Zooplankton ( Daphnia, Cyclops etc) blooms, which blocked the filter beds , and low river levels.. Winter brought floods, which resulted in very turbid water or high nitrate levels requiring the water to be wasted to sea, nitrate not being easily removable. At Christmas was the annual holly gathering, to pick the best, before the gardeners descended to prune the trees. Analysis methods were also constantly under review, with lower concentrations being measured and new parameters, and research also included for such as pesticides and herbicides. Apart from the water analysis, other analyses carried out, were on the coal for the boilers at the pumping station, to test for water content, also on the boiler water, to prevent corrosion. The steam generated driving the pumping engines pumping the water into the treatment plan and into supply in Southend. Additionally, sewage samples from the Chelmsford and Witham sewage works that discharged to Beeleigh, and the Langford Sewage works, were also analysed weekly. It was a gratifying experience to be part of a team supplying a large population with clean safe drinking water. I retired from the Company, which had become the Essex and Suffolk Water Company, on the 26th April 1996, my 55th Birthday, as Manager of the Langford site, and having also worked for the Company in Gibraltar, Borneo, and Malaysia. David Williams. CWEM, MCIWEM
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A Day in the Life of a Water Company, Laboratory Assistant (cont)
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Parthenogenetic Chironomids (Aquatic Midges) Whilst working as a Scientist in the Laboratory of Essex Water Company at Langford, in 1970, a new river water treatment works was commissioned replacing that built in 1928. The main difference being the water treatment was based on Chlorination for bacterial removal rather than Excess Lime, thereby reducing the contact time and size of the treatment works. Then from May 1971 customer complaints started of “worms” coming from people taps, between Maldon and Southend. The number of complaints rapidly increased during 1972 to between 300 to 400 per month. The total for 1973 was 1642. I was taken off other duties to investigate. Water Storage reservoirs were emptied and cleaned, Street mains were flushed out at night between 11 pm and 3.00am, all to no avail. After consulting with the Water Research Association, it was recommended that as Langford could only be the source of the infestation a mechanical Micro strainer be fitted at £120,000 This was followed by a more comprehensive mains flushing and reservoir cleaning, all without effect. Whilst out with the Inspectors at night, I collected samples, and we purchased a new low power microscope to examine them. The” worms” turned out to be the larval stage of a Chironomid Midge fly. And to my surprise I found half formed pupae containing eggs, which was most unusual. The normal life cycle is that the Midge Flies mate on the wing, produce eggs which are laid on the water. The eggs, in the water, then hatch to larvae, then pupae, prior to turning into flies which leave the water, completing the life cycle. Evidently, what was happening was the whole lifecycle was completed within the water mains, with 200 to 300 viable eggs produced by each midge. As many of the water mains were cast iron and had corroded interiors, they were not being fully flushed out. After consultation with the Department of the Environment, Department of Health and other interested parties, it was decided to treat the water with a minute dose of Pyrethrin insecticide, which had been previously used by other Water Authorities to remove Water Lice. The system was dosed from Langford continually for 10 days which completely solved the problem, which to this day in 2023 did not return. On publication of the incident in the “Journal of the Society for Water Treatment and Examination”, responses were receiver from Pretoria, South Africa and Indiana in America who had experienced similar incidents. David N. Williams CWEM, MICWEM
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PRESS RELEASE
Fund Britain’s Waterways (FBW) announces a May Day Bank Holiday Weekend of AcAon After launching at the end of June 2023, six months later FBW has created an impressive coalition of member organisations totalling well over one hundred, representing hundreds of thousands of users and supporters of inland waterways. A public petition has attracted close to 50,000 signatures. Three well-reported Campaign Cruises in Birmingham, Gloucester and past the Palace of Westminster on the Thames have substantially raised awareness of the challenges facing our canals and rivers and the need for action. Our plans for 2024 include an important weekend of action over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend (4 to 6 May 2024) to highlight the impact of insufficient funding for Britain’s 5,000 miles of inland waterways. The weekend of action is planned to take place across the country on waterways managed by different inland navigation authorities. It will coincide with IWA’s annual Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice in London, which this year will be themed on Fund Britain’s Waterways. Boaters attending Cavalcade are invited to join a Campaign Cruise past the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday 8 May, as the culmination of the weekend of action. Parliamentarians will be encouraged to view the event and express their support for the continued maintenance of the waterways to enable them to keep on delivering economic, health, environmental and well-being benefits. We hope that activities taking place across the country over the weekend will attract local and national media attention, building up to the Westminster Cruise on 8 May for which we will be aiming for national coverage. We are looking for local groups to organise events during the weekend of action to spread the word that waterways need to be properly funded to stop them from falling into decline. Events can be as simple as a few boats gathered together at a “public” location where flyers can be handed out and people be encouraged to sign our petition or get more involved. If you or your organisation could organise an event over the weekend, please contact Hazel Owen hazelowen.awcc@outlook.com and 07929 204811. Please also contact Hazel if you can help promote the FBW cause at any events you are involved in at any time throughout the year. About Fund Britain’s Waterways (FBW): FBW brings together a wide range of organisations with the sole purpose of campaigning collectively for an increase in government funding of Britain’s inland waterways to avert their decline, and to promote awareness of the huge economic, environmental and social well-being value they provide. Established in June 2023, it already has over 100 members representing hundreds of thousands of users and supporters of inland waterways. Contact: For further information about Fund Britain’s Waterways contact info@fundbritainswaterways.org.uk
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Social Updates All Social Meetings Start time: 7.45pm for 8.00pm Refreshments including homemade cake Raffle Donation for entry and refreshments VENUE Galleywood Heritage Centre, J16 off the A12 The Common (Off Margaretting Road) Chelmsford Essex CM2 8TR Contact Details Rebecca Loader Chair and Social Secretary rebecca.loader@waterways.org.uk 07817866392 (text preferred) Thursday 8th February 2024 Michael Robards will be speaking about Canoeing on local waterways. Thursday 14th March 2024 AGM Followed by a talk by Jane Harman Sailing Barge May now known as the Bread and Roses Barge CIC is a social enterprise which owns and manages the Thames Sailing Barge May. Established by three women with experience of sailing barges and the hospitality sector.
Thursday 11th April 2024 Speaker to be confirmed
Thursday 9th May 2024 Speaker to be confirmed All social meetings are as follows: Start time: 7.45pm for 8.00pm Refreshments including homemade cakes. Raffle Donation for entry and refreshments
Rebecca Loader Social Secretary
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Just For Fun SUDOKU Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3 x 3 block contains the numbers one to nine (1 - 9) 1
3
4 6
5
3 2
4
7
1 2
9 8
3 4
6 1
4
9 6
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9 2
8 3
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Branch Committee If you have any topics or subject that you wish to bring to the committees attention please use the contact details below Rebecca Loader
Chairman & Social Secretary
rebecca.loader@waterways.org.uk
Kirsten Smith
Vice Chair
Philip Cervini
Treasurer.
philip.cervini@waterways.org.uk.
Paul Strudwick:
London Region Chairman.
paul.strudwick@waterways.org.uk
Chris Chandler:
Secretary.
chris.chandler@waterways.org.uk
Roy Chandler:
Planning and Conservation.
roy.chandler@waterways.org.uk
John Carlaw:
Newsletter and Membership.
chelmsford.news@waterways.org.uk john.carlaw@waterways.org.uk
Stephanie Mason: Refreshments.
None
Kirsten Smith
Youth.
None
Adam Wyllie:
Branch Web Editor.
Adam.wyllie@waterways.org.uk
IWA Chelmsford Web Address
http://www.waterways.org.uk/chelmsford
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