Youlgrave Waterworks Ltd

A brief history

: The fountain, once used by Youlgrave Waterworks

During the 19th century villages such as Youlgrave instigated methods of providing drinkable water for domestic use to points where it could be distributed. These schemes over the years, in most cases, were superseded by larger water companies and then by national bodies formed after the Second World War. Youlgrave, unlike many small villages, has retained its own waterworks.

Prior to the founding of the waterworks, water was drawn from the River Bradford and a number of wells, which were situated on the village (north) side of the river. Much of the sickness and many of the deaths occurring amongst children during the fever months of July and August were thought to have been the result of contamination when river levels were low.

The initiative for forming the waterworks came mainly from the Friendly Society of Women founded in 1827. A fund was set up by the society to meet the cost. Benjamin Staley, a local man, was employed as surveyor. He produced a scheme to bring water from a spring at Mawstone on the hillside south of the village and the Bradford Dale.

The water was piped from the spring to a cistern with a capacity of 1,500 gallons situated in the centre of the village via a two-inch diameter cast-iron pipe; this was a distance of about 1100 yards from the spring, at a cost of £252.13 shillings and 10 pence halfpenny.

The cistern, known locally as the fountain, filled up overnight. A waterkeeper paid by the committee unlocked the tap at six o’clock each morning.

By 1869 corrosion and furring up of the two-inch pipe to the cistern seriously restricted the water supply. The committee raised subscriptions to finance the connection of an additional spring from Bleakley, renew pipe work to the cistern and provide mains in the village to supply ten taps, known locally as tap spots. Each able bodied man was requested to pay for three days’ labour or work for three days on the project. The scheme was finished in November 1869 at a cost of £381. A day of celebration was held in the village and the ancient custom of well dressing was revived and continues to this day.

By 1926 heavier demand and lack of pressure to the higher levels of the village compelled the Waterworks Committee to consider upgrading the system once again.

The present day Waterworks is managed by a Board of 12 voluntary Directors drawn from the membership (dwellings supplied) who are dedicated to preserve the village’s independent supply. Much of the old infrastructure has been replaced and brought up to modern day standards whilst improvements remain ongoing. The Board has completed the replacement of the water treatment plant and 150 years after the second undertaking: the link at Mawstone Lane to create a ring main to improve flow around the village was completed in November 2019. An overnight header tank system to assist with peak consumption times is planned to be operational by Summer 2024.

Youlgrave Water currently extracts 22 million gallons annually from Bleakley Spring and serves 500 households and businesses in the village. This level was set 35 years ago and 2023 saw the renewal of licences for the Spring and a licence for our back supply agreed with the EA until the next renewal in 2042.

Youlgrave Water is a non-profit making company Limited by Guarantee -Registered No. 3156766. Directors do not receive fees or salaries and it is run solely for the benefit of its members – each property supplied in the village.

YWW Information Sheet
How to Pay Your Water Rate
YWW empty properties

Youlgrave Water Rules and Regulations July 2024

Notice of Annual General Meeting (normally held in July) will be posted here one month prior to the meeting:
to be held at 8pm Monday 14th July 2025

Previous Minutes and letters to our members:
Letter to customers 2024 reverse of AGM sheet
Minutes of AGM 2023
Minutes of AGM 2022

List of Directors

M. Ashforth (Chair), R. Roper (Vice-Chair), M. Lovell (Company Secretary), P. Griffiths (Accountant), M. Stacey (Manager), J. Hancock, J. Bacon, G. Elliott, E. Goodwin, H. Prince,