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In the 19th century, Liverpool's ever-increasing population, industry and commerce meant that water supplies were often inadequate. Despite the construction of an additional reservoir at Rivington, and boreholes at Bootle and Dudlow Lane, the need for a major new source of water was obvious. The construction of the Vyrnwy water scheme in the 1880s provided the answer. It still supplies to this day some 40 million gallons daily to Liverpool and parts of Merseyside and Cheshire via aqueducts 68 miles long. The Vyrnwy Dam was the largest masonry dam in the UK when built, and a five-mile long lake was formed behind it.
Peter Cahill, who worked in the water industry for many years and now teaches water and civil engineering, will talk about the development of this scheme and the unsung Liverpool hero - George Frederick Deacon, the Borough and Water Engineer - who promoted the scheme and was joint engineer to the works.
Peter will illustrate his talk with original photographs of Llanwddyn - the village in the Vyrnwy Valley which was submerged by the new reservoir - and of the dam's construction. He will also talk about the pipeline which connects Lake Vyrnwy with the Prescot reservoirs, and he will give a mention to Gateacre resident John Hays Wilson who, as Chairman of the Liverpool Water Committee, was one of the main instigators of the project.
Peter has asked that, in place of the usual speaker's fee, we should make a donation to WaterAid, the charity that works in 27 countries with the aim of providing clean water, safe toilets and hygiene education worldwide. We shall be making a collection for this purpose at the meeting. Please give generously.
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