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Llanishen Reservoir
Llanishen Reservoir (Welsh: Cronfa Ddŵr Llanisien) is a Victorian reservoir in north Cardiff, Wales. The reservoir is one of the reservoirs constructed as part of the Taff Fawr scheme for supplying water to Cardiff and was completed in 1886. It forms part of the Nant Fawr Corridor from the top of Roath Park to the countryside beyond Cyncoed.
The reservoir was used for water supply until the mid-1970s when it became redundant. It was then used for leisure activities and for 'topping up' the adjacent Lisvane Reservoir until it was drained completely. After buying Hyder plc, its new owner Western Power Distribution (WPD), proposed to redevelop the reservoir site, but after a series of objections from national governing bodies, the County Council, local residents and both local and national politicians this was blocked. On 30 August 2013, WPD sold both Llanishen and Lisvane reservoirs to CELSA Group.
In January 2016, Welsh Water acquired both Llanishen and Lisvane reservoirs from CELSA Group on a 999-year lease, which allows Welsh Water to use both reservoirs for water supply and recreational purposes while also allowing CELSA UK to continue to take its water supply from the Lisvane reservoir.
In 1881, Cardiff Corporation commissioned their Borough Engineer, John Avery Brandon Williams, to report on water resources within a reasonable distance of Cardiff. He presented his findings in May and August 1881, and concluded that reservoirs on the upper Taff Fawr, on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons would be the best solution. He also recommended that the Llanishen Reservoir, which had been authorised by the Cardiff Waterworks Act 1878 (41 & 42 Vict. c. cxliv) obtained by the Cardiff Waterworks Company prior to Cardiff Corporation buying them out, should be constructed urgently. He also suggested that its capacity could be increased from 140 million imperial gallons (640 Ml) to 300 million imperial gallons (1,400 ML) without exceeding the limits of deviation specified in the act. The corporation were unsure how to proceed and sought the advice of the water engineer, John Frederick Bateman who agreed with Williams that the Taff Fawr scheme was the most promising solution which would fulfil the town's requirements at the least cost. They decided to build Llanishen Reservoir first, so that surplus water from the Lisvane catchment would not be lost, while the larger Taff Fawr project was under construction. The contract for the initial work was awarded to John Mackay in 1882 and completed in 1884, but it is unclear exactly what this involved, as soon afterwards, another contract for further work was awarded to Hill Brothers. They were unable to complete the work, due to financial difficulties arising from a sewerage contract at High Wycombe, and so T A Walker took over, completing the construction in 1886. Walker used a standard gauge railway to assist in the work, for three locomotives, an 0-6-0 saddle tank named Romilly and two 0-4-0 saddle tanks named Rhymney and Douglas are known to have worked on the site. All were manufactured by Hunslet Engine Company, and moved to the Manchester Ship Canal project afterwards.
The reservoir was built on flat land, surrounded on all sides by an earth-filled embankment with a clay core. There is no connection to local streams, such as the Nant Fawr, which runs around the edge of the reservoir, so it was initially filled by rainwater. However, 32 miles (51 km) of pipework, some 24 inches (610 mm) and some 29 inches (740 mm) in diameter, was installed to connect it to the reservoirs being built on the upper Taff Fawr, and once they were operational, Llanishen was fed with water from that source. It could then supply Cardiff with up to 12 million imperial gallons (55 Ml) of potable water per day. The embankment is some 10 metres (33 ft) high and about 1,173 metres (3,848 ft) long.[citation needed] The external embankment face is grassed whilst the internal face has stone pitching over the upper part and concrete over the lower part. It has a maximum surface area of water of 23.8 hectares (59 acres) and a capacity of 1,440,909 cubic metres (50,885,200 cu ft).
The reservoir is underlain by the St Maughan's Formation of the Lower Devonian age. Glacial till deposits of the Devonian age form part of the northern shore of the reservoir. The reservoir may be on the northern limb of the Cowbridge anticline.
In common with all the assets of Cardiff Corporation Waterworks, the reservoir was transferred to Welsh Water in 1973 when the Welsh Water Authority was formed, and it supplied water until the mid-1970s. In 1996 Welsh Water's holding company was renamed as Hyder plc and the group acquired South Wales Electricity plc. After Hyder's share price collapsed in 1999 and 2000, the Hyder Group was sold to WPD on terms recommended by the Hyder Board after a competitive and hostile takeover battle. WPD was an American-owned electricity distribution network operator for South West England, the Midlands and South and West Wales. In 2022 WPD was absorbed into its new parent company, National Grid.
Welsh Assembly members were concerned that the takeover would mean jobs being transferred to Bristol and Cheshire, and at its effect "on consumers' interests, on the environment, and on the wider economy".
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Llanishen Reservoir
Llanishen Reservoir (Welsh: Cronfa Ddŵr Llanisien) is a Victorian reservoir in north Cardiff, Wales. The reservoir is one of the reservoirs constructed as part of the Taff Fawr scheme for supplying water to Cardiff and was completed in 1886. It forms part of the Nant Fawr Corridor from the top of Roath Park to the countryside beyond Cyncoed.
The reservoir was used for water supply until the mid-1970s when it became redundant. It was then used for leisure activities and for 'topping up' the adjacent Lisvane Reservoir until it was drained completely. After buying Hyder plc, its new owner Western Power Distribution (WPD), proposed to redevelop the reservoir site, but after a series of objections from national governing bodies, the County Council, local residents and both local and national politicians this was blocked. On 30 August 2013, WPD sold both Llanishen and Lisvane reservoirs to CELSA Group.
In January 2016, Welsh Water acquired both Llanishen and Lisvane reservoirs from CELSA Group on a 999-year lease, which allows Welsh Water to use both reservoirs for water supply and recreational purposes while also allowing CELSA UK to continue to take its water supply from the Lisvane reservoir.
In 1881, Cardiff Corporation commissioned their Borough Engineer, John Avery Brandon Williams, to report on water resources within a reasonable distance of Cardiff. He presented his findings in May and August 1881, and concluded that reservoirs on the upper Taff Fawr, on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons would be the best solution. He also recommended that the Llanishen Reservoir, which had been authorised by the Cardiff Waterworks Act 1878 (41 & 42 Vict. c. cxliv) obtained by the Cardiff Waterworks Company prior to Cardiff Corporation buying them out, should be constructed urgently. He also suggested that its capacity could be increased from 140 million imperial gallons (640 Ml) to 300 million imperial gallons (1,400 ML) without exceeding the limits of deviation specified in the act. The corporation were unsure how to proceed and sought the advice of the water engineer, John Frederick Bateman who agreed with Williams that the Taff Fawr scheme was the most promising solution which would fulfil the town's requirements at the least cost. They decided to build Llanishen Reservoir first, so that surplus water from the Lisvane catchment would not be lost, while the larger Taff Fawr project was under construction. The contract for the initial work was awarded to John Mackay in 1882 and completed in 1884, but it is unclear exactly what this involved, as soon afterwards, another contract for further work was awarded to Hill Brothers. They were unable to complete the work, due to financial difficulties arising from a sewerage contract at High Wycombe, and so T A Walker took over, completing the construction in 1886. Walker used a standard gauge railway to assist in the work, for three locomotives, an 0-6-0 saddle tank named Romilly and two 0-4-0 saddle tanks named Rhymney and Douglas are known to have worked on the site. All were manufactured by Hunslet Engine Company, and moved to the Manchester Ship Canal project afterwards.
The reservoir was built on flat land, surrounded on all sides by an earth-filled embankment with a clay core. There is no connection to local streams, such as the Nant Fawr, which runs around the edge of the reservoir, so it was initially filled by rainwater. However, 32 miles (51 km) of pipework, some 24 inches (610 mm) and some 29 inches (740 mm) in diameter, was installed to connect it to the reservoirs being built on the upper Taff Fawr, and once they were operational, Llanishen was fed with water from that source. It could then supply Cardiff with up to 12 million imperial gallons (55 Ml) of potable water per day. The embankment is some 10 metres (33 ft) high and about 1,173 metres (3,848 ft) long.[citation needed] The external embankment face is grassed whilst the internal face has stone pitching over the upper part and concrete over the lower part. It has a maximum surface area of water of 23.8 hectares (59 acres) and a capacity of 1,440,909 cubic metres (50,885,200 cu ft).
The reservoir is underlain by the St Maughan's Formation of the Lower Devonian age. Glacial till deposits of the Devonian age form part of the northern shore of the reservoir. The reservoir may be on the northern limb of the Cowbridge anticline.
In common with all the assets of Cardiff Corporation Waterworks, the reservoir was transferred to Welsh Water in 1973 when the Welsh Water Authority was formed, and it supplied water until the mid-1970s. In 1996 Welsh Water's holding company was renamed as Hyder plc and the group acquired South Wales Electricity plc. After Hyder's share price collapsed in 1999 and 2000, the Hyder Group was sold to WPD on terms recommended by the Hyder Board after a competitive and hostile takeover battle. WPD was an American-owned electricity distribution network operator for South West England, the Midlands and South and West Wales. In 2022 WPD was absorbed into its new parent company, National Grid.
Welsh Assembly members were concerned that the takeover would mean jobs being transferred to Bristol and Cheshire, and at its effect "on consumers' interests, on the environment, and on the wider economy".