Yorkshire Water

The company's area includes West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, part of North Lincolnshire, most of North Yorkshire and part of Derbyshire. The area is adjoined on the north by that of Northumbrian Water, on the west by United Utilities, on the south west by Severn Trent Water and on the south by Anglian Water. It serves 5.5 million households and 140,000 business customers, and owns over of land. ==Environmental record==

Yorkshire Water has received fines for breaches of environmental law. For example: • Yorkshire Water was fined twice in April 2007. The first offence was for allowing polluting matter to enter Clifton Beck in Brighouse, contrary to section 85(1) of the Water Resources Act 1991. The final incident killed one third of the wildlife along over a mile of the stream. A further incident in the same beck led to a fine of £2,400 in 2004. Yorkshire Water argued that the blockage causing the offence was caused by a third party. Eleven days later, the company was in court again to admit to breaching its discharge consent at its Neiley sewage works, Honley. The discharge consent allowed for biological oxygen demand to exceed 21 mg/L more than three times a year. The Environment Agency demonstrated that the works had breached this limit five times in 2005, resulting in a fine of £16,000 plus £754 in costs. • Yorkshire Water's largest fine, of £119,000 (reduced to £80,000 on appeal), with costs of £125,598, was received in December 2000 after pleading guilty to seventeen charges of supplying water unfit for human consumption. • Yorkshire Water was investigated under caution in October 2008 by the Environment Agency following a leak of sewage into Whitby Harbour. The leak was caused by a pump failure and resulted in sewage leaking into the harbour for 52 hours. ==Performance==

In June 1996, Yorkshire Water was effectively fined £40 million by the regulator, Ofwat, by freezing their ability to raise bills for customers. This was a result of what Ofwat described as a "failure to deliver the standards required to consumers". This fine was a result of being the most hated water company during the "year of the drought" (1995). However, Yorkshire Water's performance had turned around so much so that the company was awarded the title by Utility Week magazine three years in succession while no other water company has won it more than once."The company has been criticised (2022) for losing 283 million litres of water a day due to leakages. The company says that this is a 50% reduction on the period 1995/96. 1995 Year of Drought For months between September 1995 and January 1996 reservoirs in the west side of the region ran dry, and water had to be taken by (up to) 700 tankers (delivering of water a day) from the east side of the region near Goole in a convoy of trucks, with 3,500 daily deliveries along the M62 in a drastic emergency measure which cost £3 million a week, eventually totalling £33 million for the entire tankering operation. The trucks were famously shown on TV delivering water into Booth Wood Reservoir. The company has now built a pipeline from the east to the west to allow the balancing of water levels should the need arise. Following the "year of drought", Yorkshire Water became known as "the most hated water company" during this period, with "staff having to travel in unmarked vans for fear of reprisals". Many suspected Yorkshire Water would never be able to win back customers' trust. 2007 Hull floods The company came under intense criticism when the Bransholme pumping station failed, worsening the flood damage to the city and flooding two thousand homes on the Kingswood and Bransholme estates. The pumping station was upgraded in 2016. 2022 Sheffield gas supply outage Yorkshire Water were criticised in December 2022 when a burst water main operated by the company caused flooding in the Stannington area of Sheffield, which subsequently entered the local gas network and left thousands of properties without a natural gas supply for more than a week amid below-freezing temperatures. The burst water main occurred during the evening of 2 December and leaked more than 400,000 litres of water into the local gas pipe network before finally being fully repaired five days later. Sheffield City Council declared a major incident and aid was distributed to residents as a result of the crisis. ==Customer service==

Yorkshire Water ranked 11th of 21 water companies in Ofwat's 'Satisfaction by company' survey 2012/13.In January 2015 the UK Customer Service Index (UKCSI) announced that Yorkshire Water was the leader for service in the Utilities sector, they were also the second most improved organisation in the whole UKCSI, beating competitors such as Severn Trent, Anglian, Thames Water as well as United Utilities and EDF. The UKCSI is the only external measure showing the state of customer satisfaction in the UK and allows individuals to benchmark across all sectors as well as utilities. ==Drinking water quality==

In the year ending 31 March 2013, 99.93% of Yorkshire Water's samples met the UK standards; in the previous year it was 99.95%. ==Constituents==

The authority created in 1974 took over the Yorkshire River Authority and the following public sector water supply utilities: • Barnsley Corporation Waterworks • Bradford Corporation Waterworks • Huddersfield Corporation Waterworks • Kingston upon Hull Corporation Waterworks • Leeds Corporation Waterworks • Rotherham Corporation Waterworks • Scarborough Corporation Waterworks • Sheffield Corporation Waterworks • Norton Urban District Council Waterworks • Rawmarsh Urban District Council Waterworks • Calderdale Water Board • Claro Water Board • Craven Water Board • Doncaster and District Joint Water Board • East Yorkshire (Wolds Area) Water Board • Mid Calder Water Board • Northallerton and the Dales Water Board • Pontefract, Goole and Selby Water Board • Rombalds Water Board • Ryedale Joint Water Board • Wakefield and District Water Board York Waterworks Company In early 1999 the company took over , a small water-only company serving the city of York. It had been founded in 1846 as the York New Waterworks Company. Predecessor borough waterworks Barnsley Corporation Waterworks The Barnsley Local Board of Health established a waterworks using powers in the Barnsley Local Board Act 1862 (25 & 26 Vict. c. xxxii). The ' was established by the ' (7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. lxxxii). Bradford Corporation Waterworks Bradford Corporation Waterworks was created by the '''''' (17 & 18 Vict. c. cxxix). The ' was established by the ' (5 & 6 Vict. c. vi) Huddersfield Corporation Waterworks Huddersfield Corporation Waterworks was formed when the '''''' (32 & 33 Vict. c. cx) vested the undertaking of the Huddersfield Waterworks Commissioners in the corporation. Wessenden Reservoir was bought by the corporation under the Huddersfield Corporation Waterworks Act 1890 (53 & 54 Vict. c. cxv). They had offices in Water Street, Huddersfield, built in 1828. The ' were created by the ' (7 & 8 Geo. 4. c. 84). Hull Corporation Waterworks Hull Corporation Waterworks was created by the '''''' (6 & 7 Vict. c. lxxiii). Leeds Corporation Waterworks Leeds Corporation took over the private Leeds Waterworks Company by the '''''' (15 & 16 Vict. c. cii). The Leeds Waterworks Act 1867 (30 & 31 Vict. c. cxli) authorised the building of three reservoirs at Fewston Lindley Wood and Swinsty. The ' was incorporated by the ' (7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. lxxxiii). Rotherham Corporation Waterworks Scarborough Corporation Waterworks Scarborough Corporation Waterworks was established when the '''''' (41 & 42 Vict. c. lxxv) enabled Scarborough Corporation to purchase the private Scarborough Waterworks Company. The ' was incorporated by the ' (8 & 9 Vict. c. lxviii). Scarborough Waterworks Company purchased the Scalby Water Company by the '''''' (41 & 42 Vict. c. l). Sheffield Corporation Waterworks The private was incorporated by the '''''' (11 Geo. 4 & 1 Will. 4. c. lv), taking over a number of smaller water suppliers that existed at that time. In 1833, Hadfield Dam (originally named Pisgah Dam) was created in Crookes to provide a service reservoir. The three large Redmires Reservoirs were then complied in 1836, 1849 and 1854. The Rivelin Dams were created in 1848 to provide compensation water. The '''''' (16 & 17 Vict. c. xxii) authorised the company to raise more money, and the building of Dale Dike, Agden and Strines reservoirs on the River Loxley. In 1864 the dam of Dale Dike Reservoir failed, causing the Great Sheffield Flood. The company built offices in Division Street, Sheffield in 1869. These are now a J D Wetherspoons public house. The ' (30 & 31 Vict. c. lxxxvii) obliged the company to start to provide a continuous water supply from July 1869. The company failed to do this, which led to Sheffield Corporation beginning attempts to take over the service. The achieved this with the passing of the ' (50 & 51 Vict. c. clxxviii), which allowed the Sheffield Corporation Waterworks Department to take over the company's operation for a cost of £2,092,014 (equivalent to £ million in ). The undertaking of the ' was transferred to Sheffield Corporation Waterworks by the ' (SI 1963/572). The Dearne Valley Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (10 & 11 Geo. 5. c. lxxiv), taking over the private Dearne Valley Waterworks Company. The ' was incorporated by the ' (43 & 44 Vict. c. cxvi). Predecessor water boards Calderdale Water Board Calderdale Water Board was created by the '''''' (SI 1961/623). It covered Halifax, Brighouse, and the Calder Valley, and had offices on Thrum Hall Lane, Halifax. ' was created in 1848 when Halifax became a municipal borough, taking over the water undertaking of Halifax Improvement Commissioners created by the ' (2 Geo. 3. c. 40). Claro Water Board The Claro Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (SI 1958/1808). It had offices in Woodfield Gardens, Harrogate. It took over the Harrogate Corporation Waterworks, the Ripon Corporation Waterworks and the Wetherby District Water Company. ' was formed when Harrogate Corporation took over the private Harrowgate Water Company under the (60 & 61 Vict. c. ccxxxvii). After the passing of the ' (3 Edw. 7. c. xxxvii), Harrogate Corporation Waterworks took over the Knaresborough Waterworks. The ' was established by the ' (9 & 10 Vict. c. cxiii). The '''''' had supplied water to Ripon. The ' was formed by the ' (62 & 63 Vict. c. lxxii). Craven Water Board The Craven Water Board was constituted by the ' (SI 1959/433). It took over ' and Barnoldswick Urban District Council's water undertaking. The Keighley Local Board of Health bought the private Keighley Waterworks Company under the '''''' (30 & 31 Vict. c. liv). The ' was established by the ' (56 Geo. 3. c. xliii). Doncaster and District Joint Water Board The Doncaster and District Joint Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (SI 1962/1924). It took over Doncaster Corporation Waterworks. ' was established by the ' (36 & 37 Vict. c. cxxix). East Yorkshire (Wolds Area) Water Board The East Yorkshire (Wolds Area) Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (SI 1961/2399). Mid Calder Water Board The Mid Calder Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (SI 1965/2006). ' was created under the ' (34 & 35 Vict. c. xl), when Batley Corporation left the Dewsbury, Batley and Heckmondwike Waterworks, and set up their own waterworks. The ' was formed by the ' (39 & 40 Vict. c. clxxxv) from Dewsbury, Batley, and Heckmondwike Waterworks, following the departure of Batley. The ' was created by the (19 & 20 Vict. c. xxxvi) as an undertaking jointly owned by the local boards of Dewsbury, Batley and Heckmondwike. It took over the existing Dewsbury Local Board of Health water undertaking authorised by the ' (16 & 17 Vict. c. cxxvii). Northallerton and the Dales Water Board The Northallerton and the Dales Water Board was constituted by the ' (SI 1963/261). It took over the water undertaking of the Northallerton Urban District which had been authorised by the ' (54 & 55 Vict. c. cxxxiv). Pontefract, Goole and Selby Water Board Pontefract, Goole and Selby Water Board was created by the '''''' (SI 1961/1447). It had waterworks at Pollington, with water obtained from the red sandstone via boreholes. Rombalds Water Board Rombalds Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (SI 1962/271). It had reservoirs on Rombalds Moor. The ' had been formed by the ' (33 & 34 Vict. c. xxiv). Menstone Rural District Council purchased the ' by the ' (63 & 64 Vict. c. xli). Wakefield and District Water Board Wakefield and District Water Board was formed by the '''''' (SI 1961/1299), succeeding Wakefield Corporation Waterworks, initially inheriting their offices at 21 King Street, Wakefield. In 1966 the water board moved to new offices on the corner of George Street and Southgate. '''''' was formed by the Wakefield Improvement Act 1877 (40 & 41 Vict. c. cxcvii), taking over the private Wakefield Waterworks Company. The ' was formed by the ' (7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. lv). ==Reservoirs==

Yorkshire Water allows recreational use of some of 113 of its 120+ reservoirs. Activities include walking, fishing, horse riding, cycling, water sports and bird watching. Several sailing clubs are afforded the use of certain reservoirs for their sailing activities, including Boshaw Whams, Embsay, Grimwith, Ponden, Scar House, Thornton Steward, and Warley Moor Reservoirs. Since privatisation of the water authorities in 1989, Yorkshire Water has made many of its locations accessible to the public, which not only cover water, but woodland and moorland. Walks exist around Brayton Barff, Fewston, Grimwith, Langsett, More Hall, Scammoden, Thruscross, and Undebank reservoirs. Additionally, in 2008, Yorkshire Water teamed up with long-distance walking writer Mark Reid to create the Yorkshire Water Way, a walk which takes in Yorkshire Water Reservoirs along its route. • Agden Reservoir • Angram Reservoir • Baitings Reservoir • Beaver Dyke Reservoirs • Bilberry Reservoir • Blackmoorfoot Reservoir • Blakeley Reservoir • Booth Wood Reservoir • Boshaw Whams Reservoir • Cod Beck Reservoir • Cupwith Reservoir • Dale Dike Reservoir • Damflask Reservoir • Dean Head Reservoir • Deer Hill Reservoir • Digley Reservoir • Doe Park Reservoir • East Ardsley Reservoir • Eccup Reservoir • Embsay Reservoir • Redmires Reservoirs • Reva Reservoir • Underbank Reservoir • Upper Barden Reservoir • Upper Windleden Reservoir • Walshaw Dean Reservoirs • Watersheddles Reservoir (in Lancashire, but supplies West Yorkshire) • Wessendean Head Reservoir • Wessenden Reservoir • Wheecher Reservoir • Whinney Gill Reservoir • Widdop Reservoir • Winscar Reservoir • Withens Clough Reservoir • Yateholme Reservoir ==References==