Wheal Grenville - Fortescue's shaft 1976

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B175
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Newbie Topic Starter

6 years ago

I seem to recall that SWW put in a pumping system at Fortescue's shaft during the summer of '76 to bolster failing drinking water supplies (did it culminate in street standpipes and bowsers?) in West Cornwall. I assume that the pumped output would have been taken to a suitable treatment plant or reservoir such as the one at the top of Lanner Hill.

Does anyone have memories of this; or better still, details of the system that was employed?

Furthermore; does anyone know where there are water supplies still derived from adits or shafts used today for human consumption?

Rick

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ttxela
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6 years ago

I recall on a few occasions being told about various levels but 'don't go in because the farm uses it as a water supply', I can't recall specific locations but it seems like it might be relatively common practice.

robnorthwales
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6 years ago

I know of one about 5 miles from Prestatyn - part of old lead workings that are still used as a private supply.

Not sure I'd want it supplying my drinking water !

Madness takes its toll, please carry exact change

sinker
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6 years ago

Aberllyn is the famous, or infamous, one around here!

Yma O Hyd....

NewStuff
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6 years ago

"sinker" wrote:
Aberllyn is the famous, or infamous, one around here

Complete with irate caravan park owner. Utter bellend, if he asked, rather than frothed at the mouth at the mere sight of a lamp, people may be more inclined to avoid the floors that kick up ochre. He'll push it too far one day, and get up in the grill of the wrong person, and bad things will happen. I know he's already been close a couple of times.

Searching for the ever elusive Underground Titty Bar.

DDDWH CC

dtyson
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6 years ago

"NewStuff" wrote:

"sinker" wrote:
Aberllyn is the famous, or infamous, one around here

Complete with irate caravan park owner. Utter bellend, if he asked, rather than frothed at the mouth at the mere sight of a lamp, people may be more inclined to avoid the floors that kick up ochre. He'll push it too far one day, and get up in the grill of the wrong person, and bad things will happen. I know he's already been close a couple of times.

CAL had a chat to him about regularising access a few years ago. The problem is we don't have any means of stopping people from entering level 5 or 6 and stiring up the ochre. This then blocks his expensive water treatment plant and costs about £200 for a new filter. Since CAL is non-profit we couldn't afford to take the chance of damage to his property so that any access is currently un-official,

He has an historical abstraction license and I very much doubt if a current application to abstract would be sanctioned. IMHO he would be better extending the pipework to the lake which would solve the ochre problem but I don't think that will happen soon! The levels of zinc in the water must be quite high and I wouldn't drink it despite the treatment...

Dave

AR
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6 years ago

I believe Dutchman Level at Ecton is still supplying the houses below.

Follow the horses, Johnny my laddie, follow the horses canny lad-oh!

Knocker
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6 years ago

The pumps were removed in 1997, I expect the water would have been treated at Boswyn Reservoir, where there was a small treatment works.

In 1995 investigations were made at other shafts as the drought conditions worsened, this included Williams shaft (Dolcoath) and Simms Shaft ( Pendarves), as well as an adit near pendarves.

These plans still exist in South West Waters drought plans.

kembro
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6 years ago

I remember talking to a chap at Fortescues in 76. Large quantities of lime were being added on site to raise the ph level 'so steel water pipes would not corrode unduly due to the acidity of the water'. Apparently 4 months pumping reduced the water level by 18 inches.
There are two 'chutes' ( piped spring water ) regularly used for drinking water in preference to tap water nearby, at Knave-go-by and Penponds.

NewStuff
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6 years ago

#10

"dtyson" wrote:
This then blocks his expensive water treatment plant and costs about £200 for a new filter.

If he had explained this, fair enough. As it was, I got a spittle inflected, rage backed tirade, and I had never (at that point) stepped foot in the place. Someone else had the similar reaction from him, and they're far less inclined towards restraint.

If he's reading this:- (and there is suggestions he probably does),
You may want to explain, rather than rage. I don't think you realise just how close you have come to very nasty things happening to you because you fly up to strangers frothing at the mouth.

Searching for the ever elusive Underground Titty Bar.

DDDWH CC

B175
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Newbie Topic Starter

6 years ago

#11

Changing the pH is one thing, and SWW have a bit of a track record on adding chemicals; it would be interesting to know how they deal with metal salts - arsenic for instance - that are in solution.

Maybe the dilution by adding into larger bodies of water - Stithians Reservoir for example - negates the problem.

Still, for smaller, direct end users of adit water, or streams fed by adits, long term low level arsenic intake would be probably harmful according to health authorities around the world.

ttxela
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6 years ago

#12

"The Fresh Prince of Portreath" wrote:
Water and where it

Years ago, when I dabbled with some chemical engineering stuff, which included water treatment, I did recall seeing a classification of water and there were 7 levels (if I recall correctly). Tap water was about 3. Distilled was about 5 and stuff you put in nuclear reactors, etc was about 7.

We use a system in labs with numbers the other way around (possibly the same system?) its an ASTM grading system.

Tap water is type 3 I think

Type 2 is general lab use for things like media prep and is anything above 1.0 MO-cm although we usually run in the 14-16 range. Usually the glasswashers are fed with this for the rinse stage as it leaves no water marks.

Type 1 is 18 MO-cm produced by further polishing type 2, we use it for HPLC stuff.

Type 1+ is 18.2 MO-cm, I'm not a chemist but I believe its more or less impossible to get water any purer than that.

A while back we produced analysers to check for heavy metals in waste water and we ran a ring main through the building at 18.2, although out of the taps it was sometimes a little below 18.

I imagine most water out of mines would drop off the end of the scale :lol: