Water supplies

In 1882 the Jersey New Waterworks Company was formed to take responsibility for water supplies in the Island. It took over the affairs of its predecessor, The Jersey Waterworks Company Limited, which had been founded in 1863. Wells were sunk in what is now known as Waterworks Valley, but they were unable to meet the demand from the brewing industry, hotels and private residences. In 1874 the company went bankrupt. Eight years without piped water followed before the new company was founded.

Before the waterworks companies came into being, homes and farms took their water from brooks and wells. The Island has few natural ponds or lakes, and its streams are small. There is fortunately plenty of water to be had from boreholes into the granite rock, but as the population increased and the need for water for domestic use, further supplies of good quality were required, to avoid the threat of cholera which hung over the growing town.

There were two main requirements:
        To filter impurities from the water
        To store water in order to provide a constant supply

With the New Waterworks Company came new works consisting of slow sand filters and pumping machinery at Millbrook, and a service reservoir at Mont Félard. St Helier was supplied from the new reservoir and the quality of water supplied was improved.

The Island’s supply is now stored in reservoirs, which have been created in the valleys. The first three reservoirs were located in the valley now known as Waterworks Valley. Grands Vaux was built on the northern edge of town, Val de la Mare in the west of the Island, and Queens Valley in the east.

In Waterworks Valley

Demand was continually increasing and standards of water quality for public supply were improved. Chlorination had been in use from 1921 and pressure filters from 1926. In 1934 newer modes of treatment were implemented, and a laboratory was established to monitor quality.

The Waterworks Company has been environmentally aware and has planted trees to enhance the reservoir areas; there is also a fish farm providing stocks of fish for the reservoirs, both for anglers, and as a way of monitoring water quality. The reservoir areas are now considered by many to be amongst the loveliest parts of the Island.

The Val de la Mare reservoir seemed enormous, in comparison with earlier ones. However, the need for further water storage was soon recognised and planning began in 1974. After many years of planning, discussion, debate and protest Queens Valley was flooded in 1992 to create the Island’s largest reservoir.

Meanwhile the demand for water had increased to such an extent that a desalination plant was built for times of greatest demand. This plant opened in 1976 and treated seawater to make it suitable for public supply. The plant was built on the cliffs near Corbière, and was frequently in use while the Queens Valley site was under construction. The original desalination plant was replaced in 1999.

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Look out for...

• Reservoirs
• Dams
• Footpaths around reservoirs
• Wildlife around reservoirs

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