The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-05 00:00:00

THE RIVINGTON WATER AT LIVERPOOL.

We are in a position to announce to our readers that
the water from Rivington has at length reached Liver-
pool, and a very few days, if not hours, the inhabitants of
this vast community will have an opportunity of judging
for themselves as to the quality of the water, about which
so much hes been said, and respecting which there has
been such an unparalleled local agitation. Friday fore-
noon last was the first time of its being turned into the
pipes, between the Old Swan and Liverpool. Some
two or three weeks ago, a small portion of the water
accidentally escaped at one of the principal turncocks
at the Old Swan (up to which point the pipes have been
for some time charged) in consequence of an accident
happening to the self acting valve, the effect of which was
that a small quantity of the water passed into the pipes
between the Old Swan and Kensington, and thence into
the reservoir there. During the earlier part of Friday,
when the water was first admitted into the pipes, the
residents of the Old Swan were not a little astonished at
the noise made by the escape of air, on the air outlets
being opened. For something like an hour and a half the
escaping of the air, as the water passed along the pipes,
was accompanied by a loud and continuous report, exactly
resembling the whistling from a locomotive engine. In
Edge Lane, near St. Oswald's Roman Catholic Chapel, and
in several other places along the line of pipes, the immense
accumulation of air may be imagined when we state:that on
the air and water meeting the latter was forced
to an altitude considerably higher than any of the neigh-
bouring houses. There are three turncocks at the main
at the Old Swan, and in admitting the water into the
pipes the process was gradual, nne only being turned in
the first instance. The other two were subsequently
turned in succession, when the pressure was considerable.
Whatever may be the quality of the water, there can be
no doubt as to the quantity-. if we may judge from the
immense volume which flawed along the pipes as soon as
the greatest pressure had been pat on. The water was
kept on during the whole of Friday until about five
o'clock, when it was discharged from the relief pipes into
the several streams, emptying themselves into Tue Brook;
and at one of these we noticed that as it emerged from the
pipes it resembled in colour pale sherry wine, and
was in other respects cirty, and of course altogether
unfit for use. The colour of the water may no doubt be
accounted for from 01(1107 state of the pipes—large

quantities of corroded iron from them. having in all
probability been mixed with the water in its progress
through the pipes. On Saturday the water was much
4leVer, and in the afternoon, as it was passing along the
pipes, a quantity was drawn for us from one of the small
side pipes, and on examining it closely in a glass, we noticed
that it was of a yellowish tint, but to all appearance
comparatively clear, although not by any means so clear
as thn water from the Green-lanl works. On tasting the
fluid, we could not detect anything in it unpleasant to the
palate. If there is anything peculiar about its flavour, we
should say that it has somewhat the taste of clear fresh
river water. We procured a small quantity in a bottle,
and, on a minute inspection, we saw that there was
undoubtedly the presence of what appeared to be large
quantities of insects or animal matter. Under these
circumstances, we should certainly filter the water after
drawing it from the tap, before using it for culinary pur-
poses. On Saturday, we understand that the water was
delivered in the Kensington reservoir, and that it will
almost immediately be supplied to the public.