CO42

Collection

During the 18th century, responsibility for water supply and waste water treatment was shared between local government and private companies. Suppliers of water treatment and waste water disposal each had different powers, charges and resources for investing in pipes. In the 19th century many councils acquired powers to purchase their local water company. The Water Act of 1945 brought together previous water legislation and introduced a waterworks code. It encouraged amalgamations of water companies and boards. A government survey 30 years earlier identified 2,160 water undertakings including 786 local authorities. By 1963 the numbers had reduced to 100 water boards (each comprising two or more local authorities) 50 local authorities; and 29 privately owned statutory water companies. The Herefordshire Water Board came into being in 1960 and was taken over by the Welsh National Water Development Authority in 1973 as a result of the Water Act of that year. The Water Act of 1973 created the ten water authorities that were later privatised. They took over from the local authorities and water boards and their role was "to plan and control all users of water in each river catchment area". These minutes record the general operation of the Herefordshire Water Board and its various committees, including information on test boreholes, the connection of new water supplies and extensions, and income and expenditure details. This collection consists of three volumes that were transferred to the Record Office from the City Library. The original library reference was LC 628.1. See also BB32.