Dover Water Works

"The Dover water supply, since the adoption of the Public Health Act in 1850, has been in the hands of the Municipality.  In early times Dover had plenty of pure water, both from the river Dour and from springs, which are to be found all over the valley.  Nearly every important house in ancient Dover had a well; and, according to old deeds, when the land was mainly held under the Corporation, houses that had no wells had the right of taking water from the wells of their neighbours.  In later times, there were public wells and pumps, including the Market Place pump, Ladywell pump, Charlton Green pump, and the Red pump at the Pier."  (J.B.J. 1907)

The expansion of the town created a problem, as more and more houses were built and their waste had to be disposed of.

"As Dover grew more populous, although there was 'water, water, everywhere,' there was not a drop fit to drink, owing to the wells being closely associated with the soakage of cesspools.  At that time, Dover's necessity became the opportunity for water speculators.  Mr. Walker, at the Oil Mills in Limekiln Street, established the western water works, having reservoirs in the cliff caves.  There were also eastern water works, established by the Gas Company, taking its supply from a well near Trevanion Street.  The Round Tower, on the top of Priory Hill, which gave its name to Tower Hamlets, was also built for the purpose of water supply.  As none of these sources fully met the public needs, Mr. Walker, about the year 1850, purchased from the Crown, the triangular piece of land on the side of Castle Hill, now occupied by the Dover Water Works, with the intention of forming a company to supply the town; and if that had been done, Dover would have been subjected to a perpetual water tax, such as is still inflicted on Folkestone, Canterbury, and some other Kentish towns."  (J.B.J. 1907)

This seems to imply that, in 1907, water was provided free of charge to the people of Dover.

"Dover, at that time, needed not only a good water supply, but also a system of drainage, and the Corporation, after much discussion, resolved to boldly grapple with the difficulty, by carrying out, in one scheme, a thorough system of sewerage and a Municipal water supply.  Under those circumstances, Mr. Walker having no special use for the triangular piece of land on the side of Castle Hill, sold it to the town for £850.  A tender was accepted from Mr. R. Panling, of Upper Kensington, for sections of the work at the following prices: Levelling and embanking the water works site, £700; making a covered reservoir, £1343; constructing the pumping establishment, £2612; and laying the water mains, £2205; making a total of £6864.  The work ultimately cost more, owing to the failure of the contractor, in January, 1854, after he had been at the work for about six months.  Mr. William Moxon took up the work in March of the same year, and completed it.  T reach the water supply, two wells were sunk, about 220ft. deep, and headings from the bottom were driven out to intercept the springs, one ten yards to the north-east, and another a hunderd (sic) yards to the west-south-west, the most copious supply being tapped by the latter, derived from the slopes above the Dour and Alkham Valleys.  The yield of these wells was estimated at 5,000,000 gallons per week.  To pump this water, two single-cylinder beam engines, of 30-horse power each, were erected by Messrs. Simpson and Co., of London, and when new they were deemed to be capable of raising 55,000 gallons per hour."  (J.B.J. 1907)