Newsletter Rivelin Valley Conservation Group Autumn 2013 no 88 Contacts Chairman Graham Appleby 01142660203 Task Force Coordinator Keith Kendall 01142307144 Through The Chair Membership/Newsletter M Sanderson 01142306790 Treasurer David Lyon 01142302660 Group Recorder Joan Buckland 01142660203 Welcome to the autumn RVCG newsletter. Events Janet Bowring 01142307570 I usually start off talking about the weather Mail to : [email protected] and we can’t complain about the summer Web: www.rivelinvalley.org.uk we have had this year. One of the best I can remember for a long time after a very Rivelin Water Treatment Works cold and miserable spring where all our In early 2011 planning proposals were plants and trees were late coming into leaf. submitted by Yorkshire Water Services to The average temperature in the UK didn’t construct an additional building at the reach double figures until June and even Rivelin Works to add an extra filtration then it was still below average until the stage to the treatment process. This was long heat wave in July. And after a part of an £16 million upgrading of the pleasant summer we are still well in double works to both replace old equipment and to figures coming to the end of October which meet Drinking Water Inspectorate is also very unusual. requirements following water quality One of the benefits of the long summer failures. warmth was the hedgerow fruits that The Rivelin Valley Conservation Group provided us with berries in abundance. The became involved in the planning process objecting to the proposal to construct the bees seem to have made up for their late new building with wood cladding rather start providing lots of honey as compared than build in stone to match the rest of the to the previous year. Recent rains have buildings on the site. swollen the River Rivelin almost to the level The Group had meetings with YWS and of some of the adjacent paths and with a their consultants Mott McDonald Bentley weather warning imminent I can see lots more work for Keith Kendall and his task but were only able to influence the appearance of the building to more closely team who have been busy repairing footpaths, installing benches and cutting follow the contours of the existing stone buildings. Sheffield Planning Department back shrubbery at the upper end of the valley below King Edwards Hospital. were satisfied that with the restricted views of the new building from surrounding If you haven’t attended our recent open meetings then you have missed a vantage points the wood cladding was treat and recommend you attend our next adequate. open meeting at 7:30pm on Tuesday 12th Members of the Group’s Committee had Nov with a stunning selection of wildlife liaison meetings with YWS and their images by Steve Drinkall at Stephen Hill contractors during the construction phase Church. We are still looking for a new and it was agreed that a visit to view the speaker organiser for Autumn next year as whole site would take place once the work Janet Bowring is stepping down. Please let was completed. This visit took place June me know if you can help. 2013. Graham Appleby There has been water treatment works on RVCG Chairman this site since 1912 treating water from the Page 1 of 6 then newly constructed reservoirs in the colour, turbidity, aluminium and iron from Derwent Valley. The works was extended the water to E.U drinking water standards. over the years and by 1952 could treat After filtration sodium hypochlorite 60,000 cubic meters (13.2 million gallons) (generated on site) is added to the water daily. This works could not meet the E.U for disinfection together with sodium Drinking Water Standards and the new hydroxide to increase the pH of the water. trea tment works was built and Under these conditions the natural commissioned in1995, capable of treating manganese present in the water is 75,000 cubic meters (16.5 million gallons) converted into an insoluble form which can daily. be removed by the manganese contactors The group’s visit started at the inlet to the (similar to rapid gravity filters) in the new works which incorporates a hydro generator filter building. providing some of the electrical power to Prior to the building of these new the site. The incoming untreated water is contactors the manganese in the water was primarily sourced from the Derwent Valley removed on the first stage filters together via the Rivelin Tunnel. However following with any remaining iron. The new the closure of the Redmires Filter Station in contactors allow better process 2001 it is now supplemented with water optimisation ensuring that the treated from the Redmires Reservoirs via Wyming water meets the requisite drinking water Brook. quality standards. The Sirofloc Process developed in Australia After final adjustment of pH and chlorine is used to treat the water. Magnetite (finely levels the water is pumped to the treated divided magnetic iron ore) is added to the water storage reservoir, located on the water together with acid and mixed in opposite side of the road to the works, contact tanks. Under the acidic conditions a prior to distribution to customers. positive charge forms on the surface of the During the course of the visit in addition to magnetite which attracts the negatively the new filter house the group were also charged impurities in the water. The shown the other upgrades including pipe adsorption process is enhanced by adding a work modifications, new chemical dosing small dose of polyelectrolyte to the water. and control systems together with the The water containing the loaded magnetite refurbished chemical storage area. flows from the mixing tanks into 3 large The group found the visit both interesting circular contact tanks after passing between and informative particularly as following the poles of magnets located in the the closure of the Redmires Filter Station, pipework. The induced magnetic field the works distribution system also now causes the magnetite particles to bind supplies the Lodge Moor and Crosspool together causing rapid settlement in the areas. It is a pity that Yorkshire Water clarifiers. The magnetite falls to the base of Services cannot be persuaded to open the the clarifier where it is scraped to a central treatment works for public visits but Health outlet cone and pumped into the and Safety concerns rule this out. regeneration system for cleaning under The new filter building has won the alkaline conditions using sodium hydroxide, Institution of Civil Engineers Yorkshire and before being returned to the start of the Humber Award for excellence in concept, process. design and execution. Yorkshire Water’s The clarified water flows upwards through press release for the award acknowledged the clarifiers and is collected in hoppers at RVCG’s role in the planning process. the top of the clarifiers and from there it David Lyon flows through magnetite recovery tanks Donations allowing any remaining magnetite to settle Once more thanks for your generosity to out before the water is filtered in the first Stirling, Bakewell Fly Fishing, Beardmore, stage of rapid gravity sand filters. The Ollin, White, France, Roe and Byles - now magnetite adsorption process followed by more than £850 for this year and you will filtration removes naturally occurring know it will be very well used in our valley. Page 2 of 6 courts are now overgrown and the pavilion Bomb Site is reduced to its brick foundations – but In a Daily Mail article of 31st August this RVCG member Joyce Keen can remember year it was stated that after the WW2 the site in its heyday in the 1930’s when Sheffield blitz, a number of unexploded she was between 6 and 15 years old. bombs were moved along the A57 to “I was a Carver Street girl, christened and Rivelin. The lorries flew red flags and married there, attended Sunday School and sounded their horns then pulled into a field taught there, sang in the choir and a on the south side of the road near to the member of the youth club. We often went water works. After a few days the bombs to the field during the week (possibly blew up. It is not said if this was accidental making ourselves nuisances).” or deliberate. The water mains were “It was a regular meeting place on ruptured causing half of Sheffield to be Saturdays, in the summer and at holiday without water. times (Whitsuntide and Bank Holidays), Does anyone know more about this strange nearly all the members, young and old event? alike, came to the field. Tea and lemonade were available in the hut and the ladies Would you like to to join the Task brought refreshments and made Team? Please contact Keith Kendall sandwiches. This continued into the first – the more the merrier. few months of the war, but gradually tailed off as we youngsters were not available to Why not come to our Open Meetings, do the maintenance.” mostly at Stephen Hill Church Crosspool. Joyce says two of the courts were kept in Everyone welcome – you do not have to be good condition for matches but that a member so why not bring a friend. another two were already uncared for. Intriguingly, there was also a 9 hole putting This Newsletter is sponsored by Clarity green, a railway carriage, two see-saws Printers of Shepcote Lane and a swing. Joyce says she kept out of the Telephone 0114 2448844 way when “work seemed imminent!” Suppliers of office equipment Members may be pleased to know that Winter Warning children were not allowed in the meadow This is the time when our prickly friend, the below the courts in case they disturbed hedgehog will be starting to hibernate.