The water supply to Hayfield from the Harry Moor Spring source was controversial in its inception and also in its closure. Before 1900 Hayfield was like many other places and was supplied by private wells or water was taken from the stream that flowed through the village. As the population grew bigger the pollution of the wells became a health risk and the Hayfield and Mellor Rural District Council looked at ways of supplying the clean unpolluted water that didn't diminish in times of drought. They found this high above the village at Harrymoor Spring. Objections to the scheme were raised because of the cost and it wasn't untill Stockport UDC in 1901 had a Bill before The House of Lords to construct an impounding reservoir at Kinder that Hayfield Councillors realised that the Harrymoor source was in danger of of being used to augment the planned impounding reservoir at Kinder. This galvanised Hayfield Parish Council/Rural District Council into action and they hastily bought the land on which Harry Moor spring stood from the farmer Mr Thomas Bennett and included into The Stockport Bill, clauses that protected the Harrymoor Spring for Hayfield's use. The spring had previously just run to waste and via a tributary into the River Sett in the catchment of the River Mersey. Hayfield RDC had originally hoped to join forces with New Mills and Mellor Councils to save costs, but they declined to contribute. In Nov 1902 the Council had approval to borrow £6492 [which includes £1492 for opposing the Stockport Corporation Water Bill.] for a scheme to supply Hayfield with water. A chamber was constructed to collect the spring water at Harrymoor (HM Spr) and a pipe was laid to Kinder Bank where a 'large' service reservoir was constructed holding 25,000 gallons. (KB1 called the Balancing Tank) This scheme was completed in 1903/1904. The Harrymoor spring also called Coldwell Spring is from a Millstone Grit aquafer and has a reliable yield. It is slightly acid and requires little or no treatment.
In 1909 a scheme was completed to supply Little Hayfield with Harrymoor water. Prior to this the village used water supplied by Park Hall Reservoir but the water was from the peat moors and was unsatisfactory. In order to get Harrymoor water to Little Hayfield a second Service Reservoir (KB2) was built higher up Kinder Bank. (called The Break Pressure Tank) Some higher parts of Hayfield may also have been supplied of the high pressure main.
In 1926 a third tank was constructed at Kinder Bank (KB3) to supply the properties on higher ground in Hayfield. Hayfield RDC realised that they could make a bit of money by exporting the reliable and plentiful Harry Moor Spring water to the adjacent village of Mellor, who by this time had found that their private springs and wells dried up during years of drought. To enable this a 3rd service reservoir of *500,000 gallons was constructed at an even higher level than the other two service reservoirs at Kinder Bank. This was called the Division Tank where incoming Harrymoor water was proportionally divided between supplying Mellor and Hayfield by means of a split weir. To supply Mellor a 5" main was laid from this reservoir or tank - KB3 to Mellor Service reservoir near Jordan Nook.
In 1934 an inquiry was held into the proposal to build a 4th Reservoir at Kinder Bank of 180,000 gallons capacity and high enough to feed the whole of Hayfield and Mellor.
In 1934 a chlorination house was constructed by Wades of Whaley Bridge and the intention was to also inject lime, but the lime injection proved to be problematic.
There are conflicting reports of the quality of the Harry Moor Spring. It is reported to be pure and healthy and needing no treatment before being put into supply whilst others say it tastes brackish and earthy. Acidic water can cause corrosion of metal pipe fittings and dissolve lead which is bad for health.
THE WATER UNDERTAKERS
1903 The Hayfield Parish Council / Hayfield and Mellor Rural District Council. 1926 Chaple-en-le-Frith RDC 1963 the North Derbyshire Water Board was formed. This would have taken over the water assets and responsibilities from the many individual Urban and Rural District water departments in the North Derbyshire area. 1974 Severn Trent Water Authority took over the North Derbyshire Water Board and in Derbyshire this also included the Derwent Valley Water Board and the South Derbyshire Water Board.
In 1984 Severn Trent Water Authority first said that it was concerned that the pH levels of the spring do not match the current EEC regulations. (newspaper article) The Harry Moor Spring was said to have a pH of about 6.4 which is on the acid side of neutral - 7pH. The residents petitioned against this, but in 1994/6 Birch Vale Pumping Station was built and 100m of main laid between The Grouse Public House from a connection to the United Utilities main in 1997 later, in 1999 Hayfield received Upper Derwent STW completed works and Hayfield received Upper Derwent Valley water from Bamford Filters via Bradwell DSR, Chapel-en-le-Frith DSR, Grouse Pub WPS at Hayfield and Hayfield Res.
Check - at some stage, it is said Hayfield was supplied from United Utilities Kinder Reservoir via a connection to the 27" treated water main from NWW Kinder Water Treatment Works). Kinder WTWs is now disused and raw water goes to Wybersley Water Treatment Works and the 27 " main is now a raw water supply main to Wybersley WTWs.
BTW Kinder impounding Reservoir is owned by United Utilities previously North West Water and Stockport UDC.
Wiki: The reservoir is fed by the River Kinder and by the stream flowing over several small cascades down William Clough valley. The reservoir has a storage capacity of 2,340,000 cubic metres (510,000,000 imp gal) and a surface area of 180,000 square metres (44 acres). It was constructed between 1903 and 1911 and officially opened on 11 July 1912. The filter house (built beside the reservoir in c.1910) was decommissioned in 1996, when the water began being piped to the newly built Wybersley Water Treatment Works at High Lane, near Stockport.
* The capacity of the Balancing Tank is unconfirmed and is contradicted.
A chamber was constructed to collect the spring water at Harrymoor (HM Spr) and a pipe was laid to Kinder Bank where a 'large' service reservoir was constructed holding 25,000 gallons. (KB1 called the Balancing Tank) This scheme was completed in 1903/1904. The Harrymoor spring also called Coldwell Spring is from a Millstone Grit aquafer and has a reliable yield. It is slightly acid and requires little or no treatment.
In 1909 a scheme was completed to supply Little Hayfield with Harrymoor water. Prior to this the village used water supplied by Park Hall Reservoir but the water was from the peat moors and was unsatisfactory. In order to get Harrymoor water to Little Hayfield a second Service Reservoir (KB2) was built higher up Kinder Bank. (called The Break Pressure Tank) Some higher parts of Hayfield may also have been supplied of the high pressure main.
In 1926 a third tank was constructed at Kinder Bank (KB3) to supply the properties on higher ground in Hayfield. Hayfield RDC realised that they could make a bit of money by exporting the reliable and plentiful Harry Moor Spring water to the adjacent village of Mellor, who by this time had found that their private springs and wells dried up during years of drought. To enable this a 3rd service reservoir of *500,000 gallons was constructed at an even higher level than the other two service reservoirs at Kinder Bank. This was called the Division Tank where incoming Harrymoor water was proportionally divided between supplying Mellor and Hayfield by means of a split weir. To supply Mellor a 5" main was laid from this reservoir or tank - KB3 to Mellor Service reservoir near Jordan Nook.
In 1934 an inquiry was held into the proposal to build a 4th Reservoir at Kinder Bank of 180,000 gallons capacity and high enough to feed the whole of Hayfield and Mellor.
In 1934 a chlorination house was constructed by Wades of Whaley Bridge and the intention was to also inject lime, but the lime injection proved to be problematic.
There are conflicting reports of the quality of the Harry Moor Spring. It is reported to be pure and healthy and needing no treatment before being put into supply whilst others say it tastes brackish and earthy. Acidic water can cause corrosion of metal pipe fittings and dissolve lead which is bad for health.
THE WATER UNDERTAKERS
1903 The Hayfield Parish Council / Hayfield and Mellor Rural District Council.
1926 Chaple-en-le-Frith RDC
1963 the North Derbyshire Water Board was formed. This would have taken over the water assets and responsibilities from the many individual Urban and Rural District water departments in the North Derbyshire area.
1974 Severn Trent Water Authority took over the North Derbyshire Water Board and in Derbyshire this also included the Derwent Valley Water Board and the South Derbyshire Water Board.
In 1984 Severn Trent Water Authority first said that it was concerned that the pH levels of the spring do not match the current EEC regulations. (newspaper article) The Harry Moor Spring was said to have a pH of about 6.4 which is on the acid side of neutral - 7pH. The residents petitioned against this, but in 1994/6 Birch Vale Pumping Station was built and 100m of main laid between The Grouse Public House from a connection to the United Utilities main in 1997 later, in 1999 Hayfield received Upper Derwent STW completed works and Hayfield received Upper Derwent Valley water from Bamford Filters via Bradwell DSR, Chapel-en-le-Frith DSR, Grouse Pub WPS at Hayfield and Hayfield Res.
Check - at some stage, it is said Hayfield was supplied from United Utilities Kinder Reservoir via a connection to the 27" treated water main from NWW Kinder Water Treatment Works). Kinder WTWs is now disused and raw water goes to Wybersley Water Treatment Works and the 27 " main is now a raw water supply main to Wybersley WTWs.
BTW Kinder impounding Reservoir is owned by United Utilities previously North West Water and Stockport UDC.
Wiki: The reservoir is fed by the River Kinder and by the stream flowing over several small cascades down William Clough valley. The reservoir has a storage capacity of 2,340,000 cubic metres (510,000,000 imp gal) and a surface area of 180,000 square metres (44 acres). It was constructed between 1903 and 1911 and officially opened on 11 July 1912. The filter house (built beside the reservoir in c.1910) was decommissioned in 1996, when the water began being piped to the newly built Wybersley Water Treatment Works at High Lane, near Stockport.
* The capacity of the Balancing Tank is unconfirmed and is contradicted.