Take a peek behind the scenes at the region's water and sewerage services

30th September 2016

Members of the public are invited to go behind the scenes of the region's water and sewerage services in September.

The following South West Water-owned sites will be open for Heritage Open Days on Thursday 8 and/or Friday 9 September:

Roadford Dam near Launceston
Pynes Water Treatment Works near Exeter
Gunn Cliff Sewage Pumping Station in Lyme Regis

Roadford
Lake was opened in 1990 following the drought of 1976 which saw the
last use of standpipes in the South West. The dam will be open for
visits on Thursday 8 September.

After walking under the dam,
which impounds water from the River Wolf to form a reservoir with an
enormous net storage of 34,500 megalitres, visitors will scale 170 steps
to the top of the valve tower. The steep climb is not for the
faint-hearted but offers a unique opportunity to view this spectacular
lake.

Pynes was built in 1833 in response to Exeter's devastating
cholera outbreak which claimed the lives of 440 people. The tragedy led
to dramatic changes in water treatment processes and the city's water
source being moved from Exe Street near the city centre to the less
polluted Pynes Leat.

Visitors to Pynes on Thursday 8 and Friday 9
September will be greeted by South West Water's water quality experts
for a presentation on the history of Exeter's water supply and a guided
tour of the fully operational site.

Gunn Cliff Sewage Pumping
Station was built as part of South West Water's 1995 Clean Sweep scheme
for Lyme Regis in order to remove the need for two crude sewage outfalls
and improve bathing water quality.

The site will be open to
visitors on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 September and will be a rare
opportunity to see what goes into transporting and storing large volumes
of waste water, particularly following heavy storms, before it is
pumped uphill for full biological treatment.
​
Booking is
essential as places are limited. Please note that the tours are not
suitable for children under the age of 12 and that visitors are strongly
advised to wear appropriate, sturdy footwear, not flip-flops or sandals