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History |
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1325 |
Monks of the Franciscan
order laid a lead water pipe some 1.5 miles long from
natural springs off what is now Madingley Road, in Cambridge
to their monastery. |
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1546 |
Henry VIII granted the pipe to Trinity
College, feeding the fountain in the Great Court and a
tap outside the Great Gate. |
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1610 |
The University and Town constructed
a channel from Nine Wells to the outskirts of the town,
named after Thomas Hobson. |
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1852 |
Vice Chancellor Dr Richard Okes was
instrumental in organising "a good and honest Company"
to supply the town with water. |
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1853 |
The Cambridge University and Town
Waterworks Act received the Royal Assent on 14th June,
1853. This set up a company to supply fresh water to the
Town and University as a commercial enterprise. |
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1855 |
The original waterworks at Cherry Hinton
was opened on 23rd October. |
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1860 |
Supplies had been laid to 1,500
premises and the company paid its first ever dividend
of 1%. |
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1866 |
The Company extended its area of supply
to include the parishes of Great Shelford, Fulbourn, Madingley,
Histon, Impington and Girton. |
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1883 |
Additional wells were sunk at Cherry
Hinton. |
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1890 |
Fulbourn pumping station was opened
and a second reservoir built. |
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1903
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The Company sought statutory powers
to sterilise the water. The House of Lords refused consent.
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1921 |
Fleam Dyke pumping station opened.
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1935 |
The company was one of the first
to introduce water softening voluntarily. |
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1938 |
A two million gallon reservoir was
constructed at Lime Kiln Hill |
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1941 |
Fulbourn pumping station was reopened. |
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1955 |
Two more pumping stations were opened
- Great Wilbraham in 1956 and Babraham in 1961 |
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1963 |
On 1st April the Company was required
by Parliament to take over the water supply responsibilities
of five local authorities and two bulk supply joint water
boards. |
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1966-83 |
Throughout the 1976 drought, the Company
was able to continue with a plentiful supply of water,
without the restrictions imposed on other areas. |
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1985-87 |
The majority of the voting stock
was acquired by the University, directors, staff and other
local supporters of the Company. |
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1989 |
From October 1989 all new connections
were metered. |
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1990 |
Privatisation of the water industry
brought wide ranging new regulations. |
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1991 |
Water was restricted for the first
time ever due to the 3 year drought. |
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1994 |
The Thetford pipeline became operational
and a new reservoir at Madingley was completed. |
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1996 |
On April 2, 1996 the Company was re-registered
as Cambridge Water PLC. |
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1999 |
Union Fenosa take over Cambridge
Water Company Group. |
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2004 |
2004 Cambridge Water sold to Cheung
Kong Infrastructure Holdings Ltd. |
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