A VIEW OF OUR HISTORY
Queen’s Valley Reservoir - looking north
Contents An introduction
02
How it all began The natural challenges of the Island The early years
06 08
A new company is born The Jersey New Waterworks Company New challenges New innovation Before and post occupation Post occupation Future growth and evolution Planning for the future Turning seawater into fresh water
12 15 16 19 20 25 26
Long dry summers and growing demands Long dry summers and Queen’s Valley debates 31 Emergency measures and growing demands 32 New development and distribution New development New innovation Increasing distribution Continued investment
37 38 41 42
The present day Moving forward Val de La Mare gets a facelift Jersey Water and the next 130 years The Chairmen The Engineers and Managers The Board 2012 Company location map
47 48 51 52 52 53 55
01
An introduction In 2012, The Jersey New Waterworks Company Limited celebrates the 130th anniversary since its incorporation in 1882. Although much has changed in how water is managed and supplied to meet the needs of our customers, as one of the oldest Jersey companies in the Island we still continue to innovate and invest in our infrastructure, people and services to ensure we have a sustainable and reliable water supply to continue to meet the future needs of the Island. Looking back over the past 130 years gives us an opportunity to see how far we have progressed but also pay credit to the early founders of the company.
02
Through this review of our history we hope to tell our story of where it all begun and also try to understand the challenges our company founders had to overcome to enable us to be the company we are today. On behalf of the Board, Directors and all Jersey Water staff we hope you enjoy reading about our past challenges and achievements as we look forward to the next 130 years as a company.
Howard Snowden - Managing Director
Val de la Mare Reservoir - view along the dam crest
Dannemarche Reservoir 1909 - construction of the dam foundations
How it all began 1861-1881
The natural challenges of the Island Jersey is the largest and most southerly of the Channel Islands. It is approximately nine miles east to west, five miles north to south. The highest part of the Island is in the north with a plateau at about 107m (350 feet) Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) and a high point of 138m (453 feet) AOD. It slopes to the south with a gentle low south coast line. The main valleys run north to south to discharge their small streams into St Aubin’s Bay. There are a few short steep valleys running to the sea on the north coast. The west coast is exposed to the Atlantic Ocean from which, the prevailing winds come bringing with them an average annual rainfall of 850mm (33.44 inches). The geology of the Island is complex being predominantly an ancient Brioverian shale which has been folded and faulted and intruded into by several igneous rocks of younger origin. These last are mainly granite but to the north east of the Island is an intrusion of conglomerate which delights the geologists. 06
The whole is covered by a wind-blown silt, called loess, which has a surprisingly uniform particle size. It seems that when the sea was much lower and the continental shelf to the west was exposed, dust was blown in our direction by those prevailing westerly winds and it was deposited on this higher mound of land which is now our Island. The theory that the dust comes borne on a westerly wind gains credence from the fact that more silt is found consistently on the eastern slope of the north/ south valleys where it was deposited in the eddies. There are also two small areas of windblown sand and one of lagoon sand. There is ample evidence that at one time Jersey was connected to the nearby continent from which it was cut off at a later time than Guernsey and the other Channel Islands. The water engineer will notice from this brief description that there is little chance of holding much water in rocks of these types.
The resident population of the Island numbers 97,000 (2011) and the densest populated areas are along the south coast with St Helier and St Brelade as main centres of population. There are several small villages in the north and west of the Island and these have been extended to form dormitories for St Helier in recent times. The tourism industry increases the population by 10 to 15% in the summer months.
Aerial view of Val de la Mare Reservoir
This Island has for generations supported a large population relative to its area. The census of 1861 showed the population of Jersey to be 55,612 persons of which 29,528 lived in the town of St Helier. This number of inhabitants could not have been supported entirely by the agricultural industry. They diversified into fishing, ship building and knitting.
Aerial view of Queen’s Valley Reservoir
1861-1881
Site of the Millbrook Reservoir
The early years The 1861 census shows that there was no piped water supply in the Island and very few sewers. Two streams flowed in valleys to join to the north of St Helier and flowed through the town as an open brook - the Grand Douet. This brook seemed to serve simultaneously as a washing place, a refuse disposal medium and sewer. The wells in the town were hand dug through the silt and peat laid down by the Grand Douet and, into a gravel stratum. It seems as though some of the public health problems of that time were caused by the dual use of Grand Douet as a sewer and water source. It is not surprising that in February 1867 there was a serious outbreak of cholera in St Helier the origin of which was traced to a public well near the Town Hall and only a few feet from the Grand Douet. After the well was sealed the outbreak subsided but the public disquiet remained. Some twenty years earlier there is a record of a public meeting which had been attended by the Bailiff and the Lieutenant Governor at which a resolution had been passed demanding a piped water supply. 08
The first diffident steps were taken in 1863 when the Jersey Waterworks Company Limited was established in England on the 19th day of June under the Companies Act of 1862 and with a registered office in Westminster. In 1865 that Company successfully petitioned the States of Jersey to enact a law to give legal standing similar to that being enjoyed by the numerous Water Companies being established in the England at that time. On the 29th September 1869 the first sod was turned by the Lieutenant Governor, from which a well 7 feet diameter and 45 feet deep was constructed at Vicart Mill, St Lawrence Valley (now commonly known as Waterworks Valley) and an adit was driven horizontally from the bottom of the well, to increase the yield of water. A 25 horse power steam engine powered reciprocating pump was installed which lifted water into a small elevated reservoir which then gravitated through a 12 inch diameter pipe to St Helier.
Unfortunately the well source proved unable to give an adequate supply of water and land was bought further down the valley at Millbrook where a second well was sunk and a pumping station lifted water into a cast iron water tower. In March 1870 a notice appeared in the local newspaper reading “The Jersey Waterworks Company gives notice that they are now prepared to give estimates for supplying water to breweries, hotels, houses and gardens.� The two wells were unable to sustain the supply required and the works were extended by building a coarse sand filter taking water from the stream in the valley. A succession of dry summers from 1871 led to a serious shortage of water resources the Company being declared en-desastre (bankrupt) in January 1874.
The reasons for the bankruptcy appear to be the generally unreliable ground water from the wells and the consequent expenditure on filters to maintain a supply of water. Also the cost of the miles of water mains that had to be laid to bring the water into the town was much more expensive than estimated. Added to this was the fact that the water pressure was reportedly not sufficient to supply more than the lowest parts of St Helier. There were other factors that led to the companies’ misfortune; there were 1,168 free connections, mainly for fire points and only 276 service connections, that had been paid for. There is also a mention of a turn down in trade with many empty properties in St Helier at this time. From 1874 to 1882 there was no piped water supply in Jersey.
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Westmount Service Reservoir 1924
A new company is born 1881 - 1953
1881-1918
The Jersey New Waterworks Company Several unsuccessful efforts were made to float a new water company and on the 23 May 1881 a local business man, Mr Cleveland Masterman convened a meeting of twenty influential people with the aim of launching The Jersey New Waterworks Company Limited, which culminated in the Memorandum and Articles of Association being registered in the Royal Court on 11 February 1882.
The reservoir had a maximum capacity of 54ML (12 million gallons) and soon after commissioning the three wells were abandoned. The early works included the construction of a substantial brick service reservoir at Mont Felard which received the treated water pumped from the sand filters and which provided the head (pressure) required to supply water to the residents of St Helier and St Aubin.
The new Company bought the assets of the bankrupt Jersey Waterworks Company for ÂŁ23,000 and persevered with the supply of water from the two wells supplemented by that from a third well sunk at Millbrook. The supply from all three wells proved to be inadequate and unreliable and in 1895 land was bought in the valley which enabled the Millbrook Reservoir and slow sand filters to be built. The reservoir was formed by an earth bank, with a granite masonry face; water-proofing was by means of a concrete core backed with clay.
The Millbrook Reservoir is still in daily use but the service reservoir at Mont Felard has been abandoned because the elevation was insufficient to supply by gravity the expanding distribution system. It was replaced in 1921 by a reinforced concrete service reservoir at Westmount, above St Helier.
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In 1909 a new impounding reservoir was constructed in Waterworks Valley upstream of Millbrook at Dannemarche. This is a granite faced mass concrete gravity structure and holds 90ML (20 million gallons) of water. A new transfer main was also laid from Dannemarche Reservoir to Millbrook Reservoir for eventual treatment by the slow sand filters. The Reservoir was designed by the Company’s first Engineer & Manager, Mr Alfred Jenkins. From 1914 through to 1918, the First World War years, all development was halted; resources that were available met the demand that was required.
Dannemarche Reservoir 1909 - construction of the dam foundations
Handois Reservoir dam 1932
1921-1934
New challenges The driest year recorded in the Island was 1921 at 426mm (16.78 inches) and the driest three consecutive years were 1920, 21 and 22 with an annual average of only 667mm (26.27 inches). This dry period compelled the Company to look for further water storage and in 1932 the Handois Reservoir at the head of Waterworks Valley was completed. This is a mass concrete gravity dam, similar in design to the dam at Dannemarche Reservoir, with a capacity of 204ML (45 million gallons) and is built close to the site of a china clay quarry. Handois Reservoir sits so high in the valley and its catchment area, was unlikely fully to support the capacity required for the reservoir and in 1934 a stream abstraction pumping station was constructed at La Hague, together with a 9� diameter transfer main to improve the reservoir yield.
In 1934 a new 6ML (1.5 million gallon) per day treatment works was constructed at Handois below the Reservoir with sedimentation tanks and rapid gravity filters installed to treat the water. The water was disinfected by chlorine and ammonia. A 12� diameter treated water main was laid from the treatment works along Waterworks Valley to connect to the existing main at Millbrook, allowing water to be supplied into the distribution network. Disinfection of the treated water by chlorination was introduced at the Millbrook slow sand filter treatment works in 1921 as hygiene standards of drinking water improved.
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1934-1939
New innovation In 1934 the Company opened its own laboratory at its offices in Mulcaster Street, St Helier to monitor the performance of the treatment processes. A task that has become more intricate over the years, and is a vital part of the Companys’ work, to ensure the safety of public health. For the first time robust water quality controls and sampling could be managed as the areas of supply increased and further education on water hygiene standards improved. In 1939 the need for further water resources was needed and the construction of a small catchment reservoir and pumping station on the stream at Le Mourier, St John commenced.
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A 10� diameter transfer main allowed water to be pumped from the Le Mourier stream to Handois Reservoir. However, the occupation of the Island by German forces in 1940 put a stop to the work and the scheme was not completed until 1946. The partly completed pumping station building was converted into a machine gun post by the Occupying Forces for which there is no record of any rent being paid! All Jersey Water workmen who left the Island to join the armed forces were promised their jobs back after the hostilities ended.
La Hague 1945 - pumping station
Mulcaster Street Laboratory - water samples being placed in an incubator
Le Mourier 1945 - pumping station
Grands Vaux 1951 - the construction of the dam and pumping station
1940-1947
Before and post occupation In June 1940 some 30,000 local residents were evacuated from the Island. After the Liberation, when life started to return to normality, the Company had a lot of hard decisions to consider regarding the storage capacity and future supply. It was not known how many people would return to the Island nor what industry would flourish to support them. More than ever it needed to ensure continued water supplies could meet demands for the forecasted new growth in the tourism industry, together with an increasing number of permanent residents.
The Board of Directors at that time made a courageous and correct decision, by the creation of another impounding reservoir at Grand Vaux, increasing the storage capacity and laying new water mains to improve distribution. Work commenced in 1947 but it would be six years before it was completed. This was mainly due to a shortage of materials as an aftermath of the war. Using concrete as its main material the dam is a testment to the engineers and workmen’s resourcefulness and ingenuity at the time given the challenges that had to be overcome.
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1949-1953
Post occupation In 1949 to accommodate the additional water demand, the Handois Water Treatment Works (WTW) was extended to a capacity of 13.5ML (3 million gallons) per day, and an additional 18� diameter treated water trunk main was constructed between Handois WTW and extended to the Service Reservoir at Westmount. Grand Vaux Reservoir was finally completed in 1953 with a capacity of 227ML (50 million gallons). The dam is mass concrete, gravity sectioned structure with a central spill. A mile south of the dam the main stream becomes the Grand Douet as it flows through the town of St Helier.
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The stored water from Grands Vaux was pumped to the newly extended Handois WTW via a new 15� diameter raw water main. The raw water main to Handois required the main to pass over one of the highest points in the Island at Mont Gavey. Land was purchased at Mont Gavey and a reinforced concrete tank was constructed to accommodate hydraulics and to improve the raw water distribution system. Almost before this ambitious scheme was completed the pattern of rapid post war development had been established and the need for substantially more raw water storage was already recognised.
Handois Water Treatment Works 1949 - extensions to the treatment plant
Augrès Water Treatment Works 1965
Future growth and evolution 1953 - 1969
Val de la Mare Reservoir 1962 - construction nears completion
1953-1966
Planning for the future In 1955 the site for a new reservoir at Val de la Mare was chosen, and land purchased and in 1957 construction started. The designers and supervising engineers were T & C Hawksley and the dam was built by the company’s own labour. Like Grands Vaux the Val de la Mare dam is a mass concrete, gravity section, and spill over type of structure. The reservoir contains 900ML (207 million gallons) which was large in comparison with the other reservoirs. However, it lacks a substantial catchment of its own as it relies heavily on water being pumped from the St Peter’s Valley stream and other catchment areas. Water is pumped from Val de la Mare Reservoir to Handois Water Treatment Works (WTW) by a 15� diameter raw water transfer main.
The Offshore Finance and Tourism industries continued to grow and with it the demand for water. By 1965 the search was on for another storage reservoir site. Hydrological studies indicated that Island catchment yield could support another reservoir the size of Val de la Mare. Progress on acquiring another reservoir site was slow and by 1966 the Company decided it would not be possible to wait too long before additional water resources were provided. Following many considerations the Company took the bold step of deciding to reverse the order of development by building a desalination plant first because that could be done with the minimum of land acquisition and within a relatively short timescale.
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1967-1969
Turning seawater into fresh water In 1967 a seawater distillation plant was designed by Weir Westgarth Limited of East Kilbride which best met the Company’s specification and construction started on the La Rosiere Desalination Plant in 1968. This single purpose, oil fired plant was designed to produce 6ML (1.5 million gallons) per day of distillate which was then pumped into the Val de la Mare Reservoir for blending with other natural fresh waters before being transferred to Handois WTW and passed through the normal treatment process and into the distribution system.
The peak summer demand in early 1960’s highlighted the limitations of the treatment capacity. The original slow sand filters at Millbrook could provide 2.25ML (1/2 million gallons) per day and Handois WTW 13.5ML (3 million gallons) per day. In 1962 two additional rapid gravity filters were constructed at Handois WTW and this gave a small increased in treatment capacity to 14.5ML (3.2 million gallons) per day. In 1963 works commenced on constructing a new additional water treatment works at Augrès, Trinity.
The distillation plant was designed for 270 days operation per year, the remaining period being required for cleaning and maintenance. Being a thermal process the efficiency of the plant declines with time as heating surfaces become covered in scale from dissolved solids removed from the sea water. As this water was relatively expensive to produce, the plant was only used to assist with water resources in the summer months when required.
For hydraulic reasons, the location and elevation of the new treatment works at Augrès was carefully selected to be identical to that of the Handois WTW, to allow the treated water to flow by gravity into the distribution system. In 1964 the new works were commissioned and comprised a raw water storage tank, single circular sedimentation tank, four rapid gravity filters, contact tanks and service reservoir, with a new 18” diameter treated water trunk main supplying water to the town.
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The works had an output capacity of 9ML (2 million gallons) per day and was designed to accommodate a doubling of the output in future years.
Augrès 1965 - Water Treatment Works
During the first 5 years of operation the treatment works were only operated during the summer months to suit demand conditions and was moth-balled during the winter period when demand for water was lower. The raw water transfer main from Grands Vaux Reservoir to Handois passed close by the site of the works and connections were made to this main to allow raw water to be supplied from either Grand Vaux or Val de la Mare Reservoirs. In 1964 an additional 5.6ML (1.25 million gallon) capacity treated water storage reservoir was constructed at Westmount, adjacent to the existing storage reservoir constructed in 1921. Both these service reservoirs operate together and provide water to meet peak morning and evening demands for water.
La Rosière 1970 - Desalination Plant
Queen’s Valley Reservoir 1991 - excavation of the new dam
Long dry summers and growing demands 1969 - 1992
Queen’s Valley Reservoir 1991 - Southern view of new dam under construction
1969-1989
Long dry summers and Queen’s Valley debates The exceptional dry years of 1975 and 1976 taxed the Island’s water resources to the limit, even with the desalination plant in full operation. Water rationing was initiated and the situation looked ominous but early in September 1976 the rains came and it proved very welcome indeed. In the summer of 1976 the desalination plant delivered 208 million gallons to Val de la Mare equal to the total capacity of that reservoir. With the experiences of the very dry years of 1975 and 1976, the search for another storage reservoir was resumed with renewed vigour. In 1975 the Company indicated to the States Public Works Committee that Queen’s Valley would be the favoured valley in which to build a new reservoir which the Island needed. Between 1975 and 1988 there were numerous States debates and serious objections to the construction of the proposed new reservoir even though it was quite clear Jersey was struggling to cope with its demand for water.
In addition to this, there were moves from a private shareholder to gain a major shareholding in the Company which was not deemed to be to the benefit of other shareholders or the community. This culminated in the Chairman valiantly gaining government support to re-capitalise the Company, so that the States of Jersey became the major and controlling shareholder. The period of the 1980s were indeed busy years for the Board of the Company, however, one memorable event was the marking of the Company’s centenary in 1982. This was celebrated by all staff and pensioners at a dinner at The Hotel de France and the planting of a centenary oak tree at Handois Water Treatment Works (WTW) by the Chairman. In June 1987, the extension to Augre WTW was officially opened by the Bailiff Sir Peter Crill. Purpose built new offices were started at Westmount and in 1989 the company moved into its new Mulcaster House HQ selling its old site in Mulcaster Street. 31
1988-1992
Emergency measures and growing demands States approval for the construction of a new reservoir in Queen’s Valley was finally agreed in 1988 with approval given by the Privy Council in March 1989. This was incorporated in a Bill approved by Her Majesty in Council and Registered in the Royal Court in Jersey. This required the Company to construct a new reservoir at Queen’s Valley. Despite Royal approvals being given two petitions were submitted to the Queen’s Council by a number of Islanders that were still opposed to the building of the reservoir. On the 6th April 1989 a contract was awarded to Sheppard Hill Ltd to construct a Rockfill embankment dam, incorporating a bituminous concrete core as the water proof membrane. Only six months into the contract, the contractor was declared en-desastre and work was halted. After much negotiation, the contract was re-let to MJ Gleeson Ltd. Unfortunately MJ Gleeson would not take responsibility for the works undertaken by Sheppard Hill Ltd and consequently, much of the original works had to be demolished. 32
In the meantime August 1989 became one of the hottest on record, and a State of Emergency was declared due to water shortages, with water rationing being introduced. Continuing dry weather and water shortages meant in May 1990 a further hosepipe ban and restriction of non-essential use of water was also imposed to try to conserve water stocks. On the 26th November 1991, the Bailiff, Sir Peter Crill officially opened the Queen’s Valley Reservoir, with a capacity of 1,190ML (265 million gallons), which increased the Company’s storage capacity by 80%. However even through this new facility would benefit the Island in the longer term, the period of 1990 to 1992 saw severe lack of rainfall and heavy use of the desalination plant. It was quite difficult to fill Queen’s Valley Reservoir in its first year, due to lack of rainfall and there was nothing that could be done to overcome this so water restrictions remained in place.
In the years from 1975 to 1988 the increasing demand, albeit slower than forecasted, compelled the Company to search for other small resources however uneconomic to enhance the yield of the existing reservoirs and to reduce the demand on the expensive running of the distillation plant. A well field was developed in the sand dunes at Blanches Banques, in St Ouen’s Bay and a further stream abstraction pumping station was established at Pont Marquet and the distribution system was scrutinised for leaks and waste. Hand in hand with the increasing availability of water resources and the treatment capacity has gone continual extension of the distribution system. With many pipes reaching the end of their design life continuous attention to renewal of pipework in the main town has been on-going, together with reinforcement of the system with new trunk mains where required.
Queen’s Valley Reservoir - draw-off tower
Handois Water Treatment Works
New development and distribution 1992 - 2006
Handois Water Treatment Works - new clarifiers in the forground
1992-1999
New development By 1992, it was realised that the slow sand filter plant at Millbrook was very expensive to operate in terms of manpower required to remove, wash and replace the sand media. Therefore plans were made to abandon this plant. Before this could be undertaken a new raw water transfer pumping station and transfer main from Millbrook to Handois Water Treatment Works (WTW) would be necessary in order to be able to use this water. Also, it was desirable to modernise, update and automate Handois WTW before Millbrook was taken out of service. In 1993 works commenced on major refurbishment of the Handois WTW, by the construction of new 6ML/d capacity clarifiers, refurbishment of the rapid gravity filters using dual media, new chemical dosing plant, new chlorination plant and standby power generation facilities.
These works were completed in 1996. A new control room was established which has since become the 24 hour control centre for the Company. At the same time as the work at Handois was being undertaken, the new raw water transfer main from Millbrook to Handois was being laid and a new pumping station being constructed at Millbrook. In 1997, the new raw water transfer system from Millbrook to Handois WTW was completed and the slow sand filters at Millbrook de-commissioned. In 1999, the Augrès WTW was refurbished and automated to the same standards and equipment as had been employed at Handois a few years previous. A standby power generator is also provided, which is identical to that installed at Handois WTW. Augrès WTW now runs automatically and can be controlled by telemetry links by the control room at Handois. 37
1998-1999
New innovation In 1998, it became evident the desalination plant was reaching the end of its operational life and was becoming difficult to operate and expensive to maintain. Tenders were sought to provide a replacement desalination plant, using a modern Reverse Osmosis (RO) treatment process run by electrical power instead of oil. This culminated in July 1999 with the opening of a new 6ML capacity RO desalination plant. The new RO plant is much simpler and cheaper to operate than the original distillation plant and the man power requirements in both operating and maintaining the plant are much smaller and efficient than the previous plant. The entire distribution network to the north of the Island and above the 30m contour level was supplied independently by ten small booster pumping stations. Water was boosted to higher pressures to supply these high levels areas. However, there were no storage facilities and any loss of electrical power supplies would result in loss. All of the booster stations were constructed in the 1960s and by the late 1990s with the extension of the distribution network, there was concern at the ability to cope with high summer demands as well as the age of the pumping plant itself. In 1999 a scheme was developed to construct a high level treated water storage reservoir at Les Platons, being the highest elevation of the Island and the construction of a new trunk water main running east to west to connect this new reservoir with Handois WTW, Augrès WTW and to connect into all the existing boosted distribution networks at strategic points. This would enable all the ten booster stations to be abandoned, provide increased security of supply to these areas and bring about major savings in operating and maintenance costs.
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La Rosière - Desalination Plant
Aerial view of Les Platons service reservoir
Laboratory analysis being undertaken
Installation of new 150mm diameter treated water pipework
1999-2004
Increasing distribution Between 1999 and 2004, a trunk main varying in size from 300mm to 600mm diameter was laid from St Brelade in the West to St Martin in the East and running through all the northern parishes of St Peter, St Ouen, St Mary, St John and Trinity. Most of the trunk main was laid through fields to provide the most direct route and for hydraulic reasons, as apart from new high lift pumping stations at Handois and Augrès, all water from the new service reservoir at Les Platons, would flow both east and west by gravity. The existing boosted distribution networks were connected to the new trunk main at strategic locations and all connections were metered to allow District Metered Areas to be established. This improved considerably the ability of the company to identify leaks and problems with the distribution system.
Many of the connections are also provided with pressure reducing valves; as the gravity pressure derived from Les Platons is relatively high for some of the lower areas. The Les Platons scheme also required the construction of a new high level pumping station at Handois WTW to allow treated water to be pumped to the new service reservoir. This pumping station comprises 3 vertical spindle, double entry centrifugal pumps driven by variable frequency drive units. A large air-loaded surge vessel is also provided for surge protection of the trunk main. The station power supply is configured to allow the plant to be connected to the standby power generator system at Handois WTW, should the main power supply fail.
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2004-2006
Continued investment Between 2004 and 2006, the Les Platons water supply scheme was progressively commissioned. A planned programme of transferring each boosted supply area on to the new gravity system took place. Some flow reversals were required and planning of the transfers was crucial to minimise any customer dissatisfaction. By 2006 all the old booster stations were decommissioned and the system was operating successfully. Further link mains were added in recent years allowing expansion of the high level gravity system. A small booster station was incorporated in the valve house at Les Platons service reservoir to provide additional pressure for water supplies in the Trinity area. A small standby power generator was also installed to operate the booster pumps should the main power supply fail.
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The work undertaken by Jersey Water for the Les Platons scheme was commended in the UK and a “Green Apple” award was presented at the House of Commons in recognition of the high level distribution scheme. The opportunity to lay cable ducts at the same time as trunk mains between strategic sites was taken, resulting in the Company having its own independent fibre optic communications and control network. These links exist between Handois and Augrès WTW, Handois and Les Platons Service Reservoir and Handois and Millbrook. In 2003, work commenced on the construction of a waste water treatment scheme for both Handois and Augrès WTW. The existing method of clarifier waste and filter washing treatment was by settlement lagoons and higher standards were required by the new Water Pollution (Jersey) Law 2000.
In 2004 a wash water recovery plant was commissioned. The plant comprised, lamella plate clarifiers, settlement tanks and a centrifuge to produce a dry cake. The dry cake is suitable for application on to agricultural land. The wash water plant was designed for future expected flows and also treatment of wash water from Augrès WTW. As 2004 started and with the continued investment and innovation that the company was undertaking it was also decided it was time to adopt a new trading name to reflect this, so The Jersey New Water Works Company became Jersey Water. At the same time the Company started to develop its presence on the worldwide web launching a new information website www.jerseywater.je
Augrès Water Treatment Works - wash water plant
Augrès Water Treatment Works - settlement lagoons
Queen’s Valley Reservoir 2012
The present day 2006 - 2012
Universal metering was introduced in 2010
Val de la Mare Reservoir 2012
Handois Reservoir
2006 - 2010
Moving forward In 2006 a wash water reception tank and pumping station was commissioned at Augrès Water Treatment Water (WTW), to allow wash water from the clarifier and filters to be transferred via a transfer pipe line to the plant at Handois. The transfer main was laid for most of it’s route with the Les Platons trunk main, greatly reducing construction costs. Since commissioning the quality of water being discharged from the plant has continually complied with the discharge consent standards in accordance with the Water Pollution (Jersey) Law 2000. In 2009, the Company commissioned a Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP), following guidelines of the UK Environment agency. The WRMP forecast the water supply/demand balance during the next 25 years, and provides assumptions on population growth and changing rainfall patterns due to climate change.
The Plan has shown that the present supply/demand balance is 3.4ML/d in deficit, even with the operation of the desalination plant. The situation in 25 years’ time indicates that the deficit will increase to 9ML/d if no actions are taken. In 2010, the Company published a summary document showing the results of the WRMP and also plans to introduce universal metering from May 2010, to reduce the demand for water. This programme is a key part of the 25 year WRMP, and as an Island wide project it is due to be completed by 2016. The universal metering programme has generally been well received by customers who clearly see there is a need to change behaviour to water use given the unreliable rainfall patterns besides being a more equitable basis for charging for water. It is proposed to review the WRMP on a regular basis to review the effects of metering and update information of population growth and climate change. 47
2011
Val de La Mare gets a facelift In 2011, after many months of planning work was undertaken to give Val de La Mare Dam a face lift. Alkali aggregate reaction had occurred to some areas of the concrete to the dam and with the modern development of dam linings a new waterproof membrane was installed on the face of the dam.
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This will prevent further development of alkali aggregate reaction, bring the dam up to modern standards and improve the dam’s future long-term structural performance. Work was also undertaken in conjunction with Jersey Trees for Life to preserve and protect the “forgotten forest� an arboretum which is situated on the valley sides of Val de la Mare Reservoir.
Val de la Mare Reservoir 2012 - arboretum “the forgotten forest�
Val de la Mare Reservoir 2012
Val de la Mare Reservoir 2011 - new membrane installation
Handois Water Treatment Works
2012
Jersey Water and the next 130 years 2012 is a landmark year for Jersey Water as it is 130 years since the company was formed. The review of our history has hopefully shown the challenges and changes the company has had to overcome to enable the provision of a quality water supply. At the beginning of 2012 the Island experienced one of the driest winters in history with little rainfall, resulting in very low water stock and pressure on the company to preserve resources. Thankfully the rain did come and, as we approach the end of the year, stocks are very healthy. The dry winter serves as a reminder that we need to protect and manage our resources at every opportunity and encourage our customers to do the same. Although 2012 is a year to celebrate there are still key projects being delivered to ensure we can meet our customer requirements even when factors are out of our hands. The reverse osmosis membranes at the Desalination Plant were replaced after 13 years since being installed, securing the future operation of the plant.
The guaranteed life of RO membranes is 7 years, so although we have had extra time, the replacements give us a piece of mind for if and when the Desalination Plant is required. Good progress has been made in our universal metering programme. Customers benefit from metering as they gain better control of what they use and what they are billed for and this in turn helps us to manage and plan our resources for the coming years . To mark the Company’s 130th anniversary, a fund of £130,000 was set up and local charities were invited to apply for grants to support their work in the Island’s community. The response was overwhelming with 90 applications received and funding was awarded to 20 charities. The aim is to support the selected charities, not just with funding, but also with Company staff championing them. Jersey Water continues to look forward to meeting new challenges and customer expectations for the next 130 years and beyond.
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Jersey Water
The Chairmen C.Le Feuvre G. Le Glos P.P Guiton J.H. Wimble J.Bertram T.R Blampied W.S Le Masurier
1882 - 1886 1886 - 1896 1896 - 1915 1915 - 1935 1934 - 1938 1938 - 1949 1949 - 1955
C.W. Duret Aubin,Esq C.B.E Sir Daniel A.E. Cabot, Kt O.D.F. Laurens Jurat P.G Blampied D.C Norman K. Keen
1955 - 1963 1963 - 1972 1972 - 1981 1981 - 1995 1996 - 2008 2009 - present
The Engineers and Managers E.F. Le Cornu N.G Foster-Barham S.C Chapman A.J.Jenkins R.Burrow
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1894 - 1897 1897 - 1900 1900 - 1903 1903 - 1937 1937 - 1968
R.M. Clarke J.M.S Hobbs I.F James H.N. Snowden
1968 - 1989 1990 - 1994 1995 - 1996 1997 - present
The Jersey Water Board 2012 (Left - Right): Helier Smith, Stephen Marie, Tony Cooke, Peter Yates, Howard Snowden, Mary Curtis, Kevin Keen
Le Mourier Grève de Lecq
Handois Reservoir & Treatment Works
Mont Gavey
La Hague
Dannemarche
Val de la Mare
Tesson Les Blanche Banques Boreholes Pont Marquet Desalination Plant
Les Platons
Millbrook Reservoir & Laboratory
St. Catherine Augrés Treatment Works
Fern Valley
Grands Vaux Valleé des Vaux
Queen's Valley
WESTMOUNT Treated Water Reservoir Headquarters
Jersey, Channel Islands
Jersey Water
Company location map Stream Abstraction Point The Company collects water from many of the Island’s streams which are remote from the reservoir catchment areas. These streams are fed by rain water running off the land and by underground springs. Raw Water Storage Reservoir Jersey Water has 6 Raw Water Storage Reservoirs. The reservoirs store untreated water collected from streams and pumped from raw water abstraction points and, when operating, the desalination plant. Laboratory Operations The quality of drinking water in Jersey is continually monitored. The laboratory carries out tests on approximately 7,000 samples taken throughout the year from water sources, treatment works, storage reservoirs and customers’ taps.
Raw Water Storage Tank Jersey Water uses 2 raw water storage tanks to assist in controlling the flow of untreated water between the reservoirs and from the reservoirs to the treatment works. Treated Water Storage Reservoir The treated water storage reservoirs are located on high ground allowing water to gravitate down into the distribution network. Ground Water Resource Jersey Water has ground water sources located in St Ouen’s Bay. There are 5 bore holes, which range in depth from 13 to 17 metres, extracting water from the sand aquifer that lies underneath the sand dunes along the South-West coastline.
Headquarters Jersey Water’s main offices are in St Helier however we operate from a total of 20 sites across the Island. Desalination Plant The ‘Reverse Osmosis’ desalination plant at La Rosière plays a vital role in providing an alternative water resource for the Island in times of low rainfall. Water Treatment Plant Jersey Water operates two water treatment works. Throughout the treatment process, water quality is monitored so that our customers are consistently provided with high quality water.
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Val de la Mare Reservoir 2012
Thank you Our thanks to Company staff past and present for their contributions in producing this view of our 130 years as a company. For further copies or to contact us: Jersey Water Mulcaster House, Westmount Road, St. Helier, Jersey, JE1 1DG Telephone: +44 (0)1534 707300 Email: info@jerseywater.je www.jerseywater.je
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www.jerseywater.je
SUPPLYING THE ISLAND FOR OVER 130 YEARS