Water Transfer - Vyrnwy Case study

A traditional solution to an unequal supply of water has been to transfer water from areas of surplus to areas of deficit. In the late 1800s the River Vyrnwy in Powys was dammed to supply Liverpool with Welsh water. 

Construction began in 1881 and was completed in 1888. It was the first stone dam in the UK. In front of the new dam, the Liverpool Corporation built the new village ready for when the valley was going to be flooded. In all, 2 chapels, 3 inns, 10 farmhouses and 37 houses were to be lost under the reservoir. The new village, which retained the name Llanwddyn, was built 3km from the original village. 

Since the dam was built, new transfer schemes have been proposed. In 1973, such an approach was favourably received and three new reservoirs were constructed (Brenig in Wales, Kielder in Northumberland and Carsington in Derbyshire), but the remaining plans never became reality. Predicted demand was never realised and there was over capacity. 

In 1994, the idea of transfer returned, with grand schemes to transfer water from the Severn to the Thames and Trent. However, costs were high and in 2004 it was concluded that local schemes, including small reservoirs, could meet the demand for water in areas such as the south -east. If, in the future, this is not possible, transfers may become a possibility.