[Report 1927] / Monmouthshire County Council.

  • Monmouthshire County Council
Date:
1927
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1927] / Monmouthshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/104 page 15
    (5) Certain works at the Grwyne Fawr Reservoir, consisting of excavations for Darn fonndations, a portion of which liad been filled masonry. The total quantity of masonry paid for was 6,084 cubic yards, which included the Outlet Culvert undeineatli the Dam. In 1917 the Board discussed tlie question of the best method of proceeding with the works after the war,and it was decided to go on by direct labour. The Board also decided to extend tlie railway from Cwmyoy to lian- vihangel, a distance of 1| miles, so as to obtain direct communication witb the GreatWestern Railway siding at Llanviliangel Station. Previously,^ heavy plant and mateiial had tO' be unloaded from the railway wagons at Llanvihangel, and conveyed by road to the Board’s railway at Cwmyoy, where it had to be reloaded, causing enormous expense and considerable delay. In September, 1920, the Board entered into an agreement with Mr. J. Prancis Jupp, M.Inst.C-E., appointing him Engineer to the Board, and after relaying that part of the Board’s railway commandeered by the Government for war purposes, the actual work of construction was resumed at the Dam, on March 8th, 1921. Acting on the advice of the Engineer, the Board decided to instal up-toi-date and modern phuit at the Works, and acquired new plant and ^machinery to the value of more than ;,^53,000. The population of the Constituent Authorities is approximately 100,000, and during periods of drought they sufiered considerable inconveoiience and hardship as a result of shortage of water The Board, therefore, decided to spare no expense in their efforts to push on and complete the work as speedily as possible. Owing to the altitude, little or no work conld be carried on at the Dam during the winter months. The Board embarked upon a scheme in 1910, estimated to cost approxim- ately ;!^400,000, and according to the terms of the contract should have been completed in a period of 40 months, or by June, 1915. The outbreak of war in August, 1914, upset all calculations, and was responsible for bringing all work on the scheme to a standstill in Decembea’, 1915, for a period of six years, prolonging the completion of the reservoir over a period of sixteen years, and increasing the cost to more than a million sterling. It has taken the Board nearly seven years to complete the reservoir by direct labour. Tlie only redeeming feature of the situation is that tlie scheme is now cornpleted, and the teeming population of the constituent authorities are pro- vided with an ample and adequate supply of pure water, sufficient for their every need for many years. Under the terms of the Board’s Act of 1910, all moaides boncwed for the construction of the Works have to be paid back within a period of 60 years from date ol bon-owmg, repayment to commence on completion of the Reseiwoir.
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image