WATEK CATCHMENT AREAS 217 



between 390 and 421 feet elevation. The Council owns 

 none of the land, but pays way-leaves for part of the 

 gathering drains as permanent compensation, and pays rental 

 for the rest. These gathering drains are not satisfactory in 

 the absence of a reservoir and filters, as the supply is very 

 intermittent, and at times would be quite insufficient, except 

 for a temporary supply obtained by pumping from springs 

 at Scalford. No other measures have been taken by the 

 Council, who, however, contemplated a new scheme just 

 before the war broke out. 



Boston Waterworks Company obtain their water supply 

 from Miningsby Beck and Claxby Beck, with a gathering 

 ground of 1920 acres, between 130 and 330 feet elevation, 

 none of which is owned by the Company. The area 

 comprises 1020 acres of hill pasture and moor, 100 acres 

 of plantations, and 800 acres of arable land, with three 

 small farmsteads and about thirty houses. " Drainage from 

 farms and buildings is carried into septic tanks and dis- 

 charged over grass land before getting into the natural 

 stream. Every house on the watershed is periodically 

 visited, and any defects in the disposal of slopwater are 

 noted and remedied." The water is filtered. The Manager 

 of the Waterworks, Mr. John Shaw, says that the 80 acres 

 of plantations around the reservoirs at Eevesby and Claxby 

 Pluckacre are not an unmixed blessing, as the fall of the 

 leaves perceptibly increases the albuminoid ammonia in 

 autumn, when the prevailing wind blows large quantities 

 of dead leaves into the water. He believes, however, that 

 the trees attract moisture and prevent evaporation, as com- 

 pared with cultivated land on their watershed. 



Scunthorpe Urban District Council is reported in Parlia- 

 mentary " Eeturn as to Water Undertakings in England 

 and Wales," 1915, p. 126, to obtain its water supply from 

 an upland gathering ground over limestone of 1200 acres. 

 The water is, however, an underground supply which is 

 tapped by three borings at Eoxby, Scunthorpe, and Rough 



