The North West Water Authority was one of ten
regional authorities created by the
Water Act 1973. It was formed from the merger of statutory water undertakings, local sewerage boards and three
river authorities, these being the Mersey and Weaver River Authority, the Lancashire River Authority and the Cumberland River Authority. The water undertakings subsumed into North West Water authority by the '''''' (
SI 1973/1287) included:
Municipal corporations • Bolton Corporation Waterworks • Carlisle Corporation Waterworks •
Liverpool Corporation Waterworks • Manchester Corporation Waterworks • St. Helens Corporation Waterworks • Widnes Corporation Waterworks
Water boards The
sewage treatment,
sewerage and
water supply and distribution arms of the authority were privatised in July 1989, becoming North West Water
plc. The remaining regulatory functions of the authority, including
pollution prevention,
fisheries management,
flood control,
water resource management and a number of other ancillary functions, were transferred to the newly formed
National Rivers Authority. The water supply sewage disposal and sewerage assets, which were previously held by the water authority and covered some 56,000
hectares (220 sq miles), were transferred to North West Water at privatisation.
Predecessors Bolton Corporation Waterworks The Bolton Corporation Waterworks was established in 1847 when Bolton Corporation purchased the Bolton Waterworks Company. In 1963 part of the
Irwell Valley Water Board and the '
were merged into the Bolton Corporation Waterworks by the ' (
SI 1963/209). Manchester Corporation Waterworks built the
Longdendale Chain reservoirs, the
Audenshaw Reservoirs and the
Thirlmere Aqueduct. The Manchester and Salford Waterworks Company was formed in 1809 by the '''''' (
49 Geo. 3. c. cxcii), and purchased by the Manchester Corporation Waterworks in 1883. The North Cheshire Waterworks Company Limited was incorporated on 10 February 1857 under the
Joint Stock Companies Act 1856, supplying water to Altringham, Bowden, Dunham and Sale that it obtained in bulk from the Manchester Corporation Waterworks. That company was dissolved and reincorporated as the '
by the ' (
27 & 28 Vict. c. cvii), which set the operational area of the company as Bowden, Ashton-upon-Mersey, Northen, Washburton and Lymm. It was acquired by the Manchester Corporation Waterworks under the
Manchester Corporation Act 1919 (
9 & 10 Geo. 5. c. cxix). In 1959 '
was merged into Manchester Corporation Waterworks. Glossop Corporation had taken over the private ' in 1929.
Lord Edward Howard's existing private water supply business was formally approved by the '''''' (
28 & 29 Vict. c. cxv), and formed the basis of the Glossop Water Company.
St. Helens Corporation Waterworks St. Helens Corporation Waterworks started when the Saint Helens Improvement Commissioners acquired the Saint Helens Water Company's undertaking under the
St. Helens Improvement Act 1851 (
14 & 15 Vict. c. cxxxii), the undertaking transferring to the new St Helens Corporation when the town became a municipal borough in 1868. The '
had been incorporated by the ' (
6 & 7 Vict. c. xxiii).
Widnes Corporation Waterworks Widnes was supplied with water by a private company, the Widnes Gas and Water Company Limited. The company was reincorporated as a statutory company, the '''''', by the
Widnes Gas and Water Act 1860 (
23 & 24 Vict. c. lxviii). The Widnes Local Board acquired the undertakings of the Widnes Gas and Water Company by the
Widnes Improvement Act 1867 (
30 & 31 Vict. c. cxxvi), and Widnes Corporation was formed when the town became a borough in 1892.
Calder Water Board The Calder Water Board was formed by the '''''' (
SI 1962/1939), serving Nelson, Colne and the surrounding areas of the Pennines. It sourced water from the River Calder and operated the Coldwell reservoirs.
Eden Water Board The Eden Water Board was based on Ullswater Road, Penrith, and served the surrounding part of the Eden Valley. It was formed by the '''''' (
SI 1962/1796), taking over the North Cumberland Water Board. The '
was formed by the ' (
10 & 11 Geo. 6. c. xliii).
Furness Water Board The Furness Water Board was formed by the '''''' (
SI 1960/2350) and served
Barrow-in-Furness and the surrounding area. It took over Barrow Corporation Waterworks, and had offices in Hindpool Road, Barrow-in-Furness. The '
was founded by the ' (
31 & 32 Vict. c. civ)
Fylde Water Board The Fylde Water Board was formed by the '
(60 & 61 Vict. c. ccxxi). It took over the undertaking of the , which was formed by the ' (
24 & 25 Vict. c. cliv). Under the '
the Fylde Water Board took over the undertakings of the , the Preston Corporation Waterworks and the Darwen Corporation Waterworks. Blackburn Corporation Waterworks had been formed when the Blackburn Improvement Act 1854 (17 & 18 Vict. c. clxxxiii) enabled Blackburn Corporation to purchase the private , which had been created by the ' (
8 & 9 Vict. c. cxxxviii). Fylde Water Board served
Blackpool and the coastal area of
The Fylde. It had offices in Sefton Street, Blackpool. The Fylde Water Board built
Stocks Reservoir.
Lakes and Lune Water Board The Lakes and Lune Water Board was created by the '''''' (
SI 1962/36), serving the South Lakeland area, including Kendal.
Alfred Wainwright worked as treasurer of the water board from 1961 until 1967. The water board was based at
Kendal Town Hall.
Lune Valley Water Board The Lune Valley Water Board was created by the '''''' (
SI 1960/2148), serving the area around Lancaster. It took over the Lancaster Corporation Waterworks. The '''''' had been created by the
Lancaster Waterworks and Gas Act 1852 (
15 & 16 Vict. c. lxvii).
Macclesfield District Water Board The Macclesfield District Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (
SI 1960/513). It took over the '
which had been created by the ' (
11 Geo. 4 & 1 Will. 4. c. cxxiv).
Makerfield Water Board The Makerfield Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (
SI 1960/2178).
Mid Cheshire Water Board The Mid and South-East Cheshire Water Board was established by the '
(9 & 10 Geo. 6. c. xxviii). The name of the water board was changed to Mid Cheshire Water Board from 1 April 1965 by the ' (
SI 1965/248). It served the area around Winsford and Northwich. Water supply was obtained from the River Dee via the Llangollen Canal.
North Calder Water Board The North Calder Water Board was created by the '''''' (
SI 1960/664). It took over the water supply undertaking of Trawden Urban District Council.
Preston and District Water Board The Preston and District Water Board supplied water to Preston County Borough, taking over Preston Corporation Waterworks, as well as to the urban districts of Walton-le-Dale, Longridge, Fulwood and Leyland. It was formed by the '''''' (
SI 1959/588). The '
was created by the ' (
16 & 17 Vict. c. xlviii), taking over the private Preston Waterworks Company. The '
was founded by the ' (
2 & 3 Will. 4. c. xxvii).
South Cumberland Water Board The South Cumberland Water Board.
Stockport and District Water Board The
Stockport and District Water Board was formed on 1 April 1962 by the
Stockport and District Water Order 1962 (
SI 1962/467), with its membership made up of members of Stockport Borough Council, the urban district councils of
Alderley Edge,
Bredbury and Romiley,
Cheadle and Gatley,
Hazel Grove and Bramhall,
Marple,
New Mills,
Whaley Bridge and
Wilmslow and
Disley Rural District Council. It took over the Stockport Corporation Waterworks, which had been established under the
Stockport Corporation Water Act 1899 (
62 & 63 Vict. c. ccvii), by taking over the existing undertaking of the Stockport District Waterworks Company. The
Stockport District Waterworks Company was formed in 1861. The '''''' had been formed in 1850, and was acquired by the Stockport District Waterworks Company in 1863. Stockport Corporation had constructed a reservoir at
Kinder, in the
Derbyshire Peak District. The waterworks opened in 1912, and the
Kinder Reservoir had a capacity of and covered . At the time of its construction it was stated to have the largest earth dam in the world. In the 1930s the Stockport Corporation acquired land in the
Goyt Valley, building two more reservoirs under the
Stockport Corporation Act 1930 (
20 & 21 Geo. 5. c. clxix):
Fernilee opened in 1938 and
Errwood in 1967.
Warrington, Runcorn and District Water Board The Warrington, Runcorn and District Water Board was formed by the '''''' (
SI 1970/293). The Runcorn District Water Board was created by the '''''' (
13 & 14 Geo. 5. c. x) and took over the water undertaking of the Runcorn Urban District Council.
West Cumberland Water Board The West Cumberland Water Board was formed by the '''''' (
SI 1960/2476).
West Lancashire Water Board The West Lancashire Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (
SI 1960/2149). It was formed by merging the Southport and District Water Board, and the water undertakings of the urban district councils of
Ormskirk and Skelmersdale, and of
West Lancashire Rural District Council. It had offices in Portland Street, Southport. The '
was created by the (1 Edw. 7. c. ccxlviii), and took over the Southport Waterworks Company. It was renamed the by the ' (
19 & 20 Geo. 5. c. lxii). The '
was formed by the ' (
17 & 18 Vict. c. xvi) to bring water from Scarisbrick Windmill to Southport.
West Pennine Water Board The West Pennine Water Board was formed by the '''''' (
SI 1968/512) from the
Rochdale Corporation Waterworks,
Oldham Corporation Waterworks, the Ashton-under-Lyne, Stalybridge and Dukinfield (District) Waterworks Joint Committee, and the Heywood and Middleton Water Board. It had offices in Oldham. The '
was formed by the (33 & 34 Vict. c. cxxxi). It took over the , formed by the (18 & 19 Vict. c. lxx), which had itself taken over the private founded under the ' (
5 & 6 Will. 4. c. lxi). The '
was created by the ' (
61 & 62 Vict. c. ccxl). It was formed from the existing Heywood Corporation Waterworks, which had expanded to provide for the
Borough of Middleton. '
was established by the (40 & 41 Vict. c. clii), which allowed the Local Board of Heywood to purchase the undertaking of the private , which had been incorporated by the ' (
9 & 10 Vict. c. cclxxxvi).
Wirral Water Board The West Cheshire Water Board was constituted by the '''''' (
15 & 16 Geo. 5. c. cxiii). It took over the water undertakings of the West Cheshire Water Company and the pumping station and reservoirs at Prenton belonging to the Wirral Waterworks Company. The '
had been authorised by the ' (
47 & 48 Vict. c. lii). The '
had been authorised by the ' (
22 & 23 Vict. c. lviii). The '''''' (
SI 1963/1508) changed the name of the water board to the Wirral Water Board from 1 October 1963. ==References==