Deep Water

Quite apart from all the recent issues relating to human waste being discharged into almost every river and much of the coast, there is a long-term crisis facing the water industry of insufficient reservoir capacity in the face of climate breakdown and rising population. It puzzles me that this reservoir, along with two others nearby on the same brook, a total capacity of 1.125 million cubic metres, was withdrawn from use in the 1990s, and is now a nature reserve and open-access public amenity

The three were built by private capital over the course of the second half of the 19th century, to provide water to the town of Chesterfield, and continued in use until 1995, when Severn Trent plc withdrew them from service. At some level, there must have been sound financial reasons for that decision, but that 'level' is more likely to be the short-term interests of shareholders and senior executives than the long-term interests of society. I have not been able to find any detail about the reasoning involved, but I think the fact that we can have no confidence that it was a decision made in the public interest is corrosive in itself

From the little bit of history I did find, the 19th century water company had a fraught relationship with its customers from the start. The supply was expensive, unreliable, not pumped (so not available to properties on higher ground), foul-smelling, unpleasant tasting, discoloured, and contained 'vegetable matter' and even newts. Only public pressure and complaint forced the company to install a filtration system at the turn of the century. The signs that a profit-based corporate model does not sit well with the monopolistic provision of vital public utilities were there early

All that said, it was a lovely place to meet for a short walk in mature beech woodland, a picnic, a swim (our young people, not us) and a relaxed afternoon together on a bright warm day