How Lincoln's clean water has been supplied for 100 years

A LOOK inside a water treatment works reveals how the city is kept hydrated.

The Newton Treatment Works in Newton on Trent processes 35 million litres of water a day for the Lincoln area.

MAIN MAN: Jon Pawson, Anglian Water Lincoln supply manager at the Anglian Water Newton Treatment Works. Pictures: Rich Linley
CONTROL: The main automated control room
SUPPLY: Water from the Elkesley source arrives at the Anglian Water Newton treatment works.
SUPPLY: Water from the Elkesley source arrives at the Anglian Water Newton treatment works.
THOROUGH CHECK: Lincoln supply asset technician Dave Hayward checks the computer system in the main automated control room.
CLEANING JOB: Carbon filters in action.
OPERATION: The main automated control room.

The water that supplies the treatment works has come from the same site in Elkesley for the past 100 years.

Lincoln supply manager Jon Pawson, of Anglian Water, said: "There are six bore holes at Elkesley, which is the original source of water dating back 100 years this week.

"The water is pumped out of the ground there and along the way it picks up water from another four holes before it reaches the site.

"Once all the water is collected, there are several steps it must go through before it is drinkable.

"The first stage in the treatment is the iron removal which is done through a sand filter.

"Following this, carbon filters are used in the water as part of the pesticide removal process.

"The water is then disinfected with chlorine and we add fluoride to it by the request of the health authority.

"Orthophosphoric acid is also used to coat the pipes and protect people from consuming lead.

"From there, the water goes into onsite storage, which has a capacity of 15 million litres.

"Then it is pumped to treated storage reservoirs before being piped to homes."

Senior technician Chris Bush said: "The Newton site is designed to operate as an unmanned unit.

"The whole site is controlled by one computer.

"If there is an alarm, someone is sent to fix the problem and if it is bad the plant is shutdown and the clean water reserves are put in operation.

"The pressure of the water is constantly monitored and if it drops boosters turn on to compensate.

"Up to five boosters can be in use so the pressure should always be constant, even at peak demand times."

Client project manager Steve Swan, of Anglian Water, described how the company has plans to build a new water treatment works for Lincoln.

He said: "It will treat 20 million litres of water a day, which is the same as a 100 Olympic sized swimming pools.

"The new site will work on surface water collected from the River Trent.

"It will cater for the growing demand for water in Lincoln in the next few years."

To celebrate a 100 years of clean water in Lincoln, the Westgate Water Tower, which was built in 1911, will be opening its doors to the public for demonstrations on Saturday – which is also Lincolnshire Day.

An exhibition telling the story of Lincoln and district water will also take place at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life.

Both events are free entry and take place from 10am to 4pm.