Glimpses of old Glasgow

Part I. Historical

The Water Supply of Glasgow

In the beginning of the present century Glasgow was very inadequately supplied with water, the sources of supply being the Clyde, the waters of which were freely used for domestic purposes, and public and private wells, which were chiefly resorted to when water was to be used for cooking or drinking. There were some thirty public, and, perhaps, as many private wells. Some were considered very unsafe, being impregnated with sewage or other deleterious matter, others were held in special repute by connoisseurs. The West Port Well, originally opposite the Anchor Close in Argyle Street, thence removed to the opposite side of the street, beside the Black Bull Hotel, and then to foot of Glassford Street, was one of the most famous of the public wells, and for several hours in the morning the servant-girls were in the habit of waiting their turns till the earlier comers were served. The Deanside Well, a spring near the foot of Balmano Brae, was a celebrated well, which was reputed by punch drinkers as specially suited to mix with their spirits. Arn's Well, in the Green, was also held in high estimation, and citizens used to go early in the morning for a draught of its clear waters. Sometimes they were baulked of their expected treat, having to wait their turn until a barrier of stoups and cans were filled. In Castle Street was another noted well, which was forty-two feet deep, and was always brimful of pure water.

[page 137]

Before the present century the Magistrates of the city tried to supplement this defective supply from various sources, but failed. It remained for Mr. William Harley, an enterprising citizen, to supply the water for the good of the community and for his own profit. In 1804 he constructed a reservoir at the head of West Nile Street, into which he conducted the water of several excellent springs from Blythswood Hill. From this source he filled a number of water-carts, from which he retailed their contents to the inhabitants at one halfpenny per stoup. It is recorded that two of these vehicles were of such enormous proportions that the houses shook as they passed, so that the Magistrates afterwards interdicted their movements! This same gentleman had a large bakery, and a large dairy upon the site of which now stands the Technical College in Bath Street; he also fitted up hot and cold baths, with four small swimming baths, in Bath Street, which probably derived its name from these baths.

The first Glasgow Water Company's Act was obtained in 1806, and the company began to supply water early in 1809. The water was raised from the river Clyde into reservoirs formed on the lands of Dalmarnock, and conveyed in pipes to reservoirs in Sydney Street for distribution in the city. The works were constructed under the advice of the eminent engineers, James Watt (then of the firm of Boulton & Watt) and Thomas Telford. The first collection of rates was made on March, 1810.

[page 138]

The authorised capital of this, the original Water Company, was £100,000 in £50 shares. The first Cranstonhill (Water) Company's Bill was obtained in 1808, with an authorised capital of £30,000 in £50 shares. The water pumped from the Clyde at Anderston Quay was intended to supply the western district of the city. The competition between these two companies continued more or less from formation till 1833. In that year they came to an arrangement, which continued till 1838, when they got an Act of Parliament sanctioning their amalgamation.

By the Act of 1838 the Glasgow Water Company was bound to extend their works, and form proper filter beds: three years were given them for that purpose. Even then, when the river was low, unfiltered water formed a considerable proportion of the supply. They set about implementing their engagement by providing two large engines (which were named Samson and Goliath) for supplying the city with water, and another large engine for raising the water to filters - the works of the two companies being combined at Dalmarnock. The company had then reservoirs in Drygate, Rottenrow, Cranstonhill, Hill Street, and Buccleuch Street, Garnethill, supplied at night to supplement the day supply, by thirteen engines, some of them capable of raising water 280 feet above the level of the Clyde. The aggregate horse-power of the engines was 898. In this way the company was enabled, when their works were transferred to the Corporation in May, 1856, to supply between twelve and thirteen millions gallons of water per day, being at the rate of forty gallons of water per day to each of the population.

[page 139]

In 1846 the Gorbals Gravitation Water Company, with a share capital of £120,000, afterwards increased to £180,000, obtained its Act, and their supply being purer was greatly preferred to that of the Glasgow Company, and almost entirely superseded the use of Clyde water on the south side of the river. The Glasgow Water Company soon became aware of the inadequacy and also growing impurity of their source of supply owing to public works and increased drainage on the banks of the Clyde. In 1846 they obtained an Act empowering them to take water from Loch Lubnaig, and for three years engineers were employed in taking gaugings. It had been arranged that the mill owners on the Teith should receive as compensation as much water as flowed down the river in the months of May, June, and July; but in consequence of the heavy floods in the river during these three months, it was ultimately found that the quantity bargained for was more than the company could supply, and the scheme was abandoned. The estate of Stant on Loch Lubnaig had, however, been bought by the company, and in selling it they reserved power to construct water works on the land upon paying compensation. In 1852 they applied for an Act to take water from the same source, but under a new arrangment the Bill was rejected, chiefly through the influence of the Corporation, which had been in negotiation with the company since 1845 with the view of inducing them to transfer their works, and now pleaded before the Parliamentary Committee that they were prepared to take the water supply of the city into their own hands.

[page 140]

Thus pledged the Corporation employed Mr. J. F. Bateman, C.E., to report on the best source of supply. He reported in favour of the Loch Katrine Water scheme. The Corporation in 1853 gave notice of their intention to proceed with a bill, but it met with strong opposition; some of the opponents declaring that nothing less than two shillings and sixpence per pound sterling on rental would work the scheme. Besides, Dr. Penney, Professor of Chemistry in the Andersonian University, gave evidence against the bill, and stated that the purity of the water was its dangerous element, the action of Loch Katrine water on lead pipes being such that it would be hazardous to supply the water to Glasgow. The admiralty also opposed the bill on the ground that the abstraction of so much water from Loch Katrine would interfere with the Forth navigation, as the water would otherwise flow down the river Teith into the Forth. This bill, which cost the citizens upwards of £11,000, was thrown out.

The following session another bill was promoted, and on 10th May, 1855, the bill was read a third time in the House of Lords and passed. The works were completed in 1859, and inaugurated by the water being turned on by Her Majesty the Queen. Glasgow has the finest supply of water of any city in the world.

When the water was introduced in 1860, the Water Commissioners supplied 88,087 houses or families, containing a population of 440,430. In 1893 they supplied 181,311 houses or families, with an estimated population of 870,292. At first eighteen million gallons per day were drawn, but last year the daily supply was not less than forty-three million gallons, at a rate of 300 gallons for less than a penny. In 1862-64 the rates were one shilling and fourpence per pound sterling within the municipality, and one shilling and twopence beyond the municipality, with one shilling on the south side. These have now been reduced to sixpence within and tenpence beyond. The rate for manufactories, etc., supplied by meter, has been reduced from ninepence per 1,000 gallons to fourpence, and yet, notwithstanding these great reductions, the revenue has risen since Loch Katrine water was introduced from £71,449 to £167,000.

[page 141]

The Loch Katrine Works alone, with extensions, have cost the city one and a half millions of money, and when we add the cost of the Glasgow Company's works and the Gorbals works, the cost is considerably over two millions sterling.

The districts supplied at present cover an area measuring eleven miles from east to west, and fifteen miles from north to south, and include the Royal Burghs of Rutherglen and Renfrew; the Burghs of Govan, Partick, Pollokshaws, Milngavie, Kinning Park, and Barrhead; and the towns or villages of Nitshill, Cathcart, Mount Vernon, and Carmyle.

NEW WORKS. - Some years ago it became evident that the present Loch Katrine Works would not be sufficient to cope with the increasing requirements of the city for domestic and manufacturing purposes. In 1882 and 1885 the Water Commissioners obtained power from Parliament to construct an additional service reservoir - a duplicate aqueduct - to raise Loch Katrine five feet and thus increase the storage capacity of Loch Katrine from 5,623,000,000 to 8,894,000,000 gallons, and also to raise Loch Arklet twenty-five feet, and thus add 1,719,000,000 gallons of storage in Loch Arklet. The new reservoir is approaching completion. It adjoins the present one at Mugdock, and covers ninety acres, and will hold nearly sixteen days' supply of fifty million gallons per day. The new aqueduct will be twenty-five miles long, and be able to convey seventy million gallons per day. The tunnels are twelve feet wide, nine feet high, and the water will run seven feet deep. The total cost of these new works will be about £1,250,000.