Colne Valley Water

Pressure on these resources led to the Three Valleys Scheme and the construction of nine miles of trunk main from the River Thames was completed in 1974.

In 1837, Robert Stephenson, while acting as the engineer on the London to Birmingham railway line, sank boreholes for water supply.

Eventually, an agreement was reached in December 1872 to form a water company, based on Stephenson's findings and an act of Parliament[which?]

[1] There was an initial reluctance by the public to subscribe due to the long-term nature of the investment but shares were eventually issued at par.

Within five years of opening, Colne Valley Water was supplying 250,000 gallons a day to a population of under 9,000 although no dividends were paid until 1883.

However, in return, Colne agreed that it would not seek approval for new wells within the watershed of the River Thames and its tributaries – in effect, forfeiting the right to develop water resources in its own area of supply.

Some incremental supply was obtained in 1935 when the Bushey Hall Gravel Company sank wells on its reserves, and in 1938 from the Grand Union Canal's Aldenham reservoir.