BUIGHTON WATEKWOllKS. 399 



they were transferred to the Corporation, to 18,000, The number of inhabi- 

 tants at the last census in the whole district was 103,000, to which must be 

 added, in the fashionable season, from 30,000 to 50,000 visitors. 



The area of the district is considerable, being, as nearly as possible, four miles 

 in length from east to west, and about two mUes from north to south. The 

 ground is very undulating, varying iu level from 30 feet above the sea to as 

 much as 450 feet. In order to avoid lifting the water higher than is neces- 

 sary and at the same time to jn'eveut undue pressure on the service-pipes 

 and fittings, the plan has been adopted of dividing the district into four zones 

 or services, each fed by its own reservoir or reservoirs, with its own system 

 of main pipes. The highest zone (at present but little built upon) is com- 

 manded by a reservoir containing 500,000 gallons, built at a height of 450 

 feet above the sea, on the Down, about half a mile north of the Grand Stand 

 of the racecourse. 



The next zone is called the high service. It is fed from two reservoirs — 

 one at Park Road on the east, containing 500,000 gallons, and the other on 

 the Dyke Road, on the west side, containing 600,000 gallons ; both of these 

 are at the same level of 300 feet above the sea ; they are connected by distri- 

 buting mains, and give a supply to about two ninths of the town. 



The third zone is the middle service, supplying about three ninths of the 

 whole number of inhabitants. It draws its supply from a reservoir near 

 Brighton Park, containing 2,000,000 gallons, the water-level being 220 

 feet above the sea. 



The remaining or low service supplies about four ninths of the whole, and 

 is fed from two reservoirs — one above the Lewes-Road Works containing 

 1,000,000 gallons, and the other at Goldstone Bottom 600,000 gallons. 

 These are at the level of 150 feet above the sea. 



The high and low services, as already mentioned, have reservoirs at the 

 same level on both sides of the town, with main pipes connecting them 

 together. Those on the west side were constructed in 1803 and 1865, when 

 the western districts increased, and it was found difficult, in consequence of 

 the great length of the supply main, to give proper pressure at the extremi- 

 ties of the districts. The effect of putting them at the same level is that 

 during the night, when little water is drawn by the consumers, the water 

 pumped into the reservoirs on the one side passes through the mains to those 

 on the other, and becomes available in the morning for serving the houses, the 

 supply being drawn at an equal pressure from both reservoirs simultaneously, 

 the length of the supply mains being thus practically reduced by one half. 



AU the zones are connected together, and stopcocks are arranged so that, 

 in case of fire, the water from the upper can be let down into the lower 

 se)-vice mains, self-acting valves being fixed on the outlet of each reservoir 

 to prevent the passage into it of the water from the reservoir above. 



The total quantity of water pumped daily varies from 2| millions in the 

 winter to 3 millions in the summer months. The amount per head per diem 

 is from 17 to 20 gallons, including street watering and large consumers. 



The water is supplied both on the intermittent and constant system. 

 When the new Company obtained their first Act, the intention was to furnish 

 a supply only on the constant service ; but on buying the old works they found 

 themselves imable to keep up the supply in consequence of the enormous 

 waste of water caused by the old fittings in the houses ; and as they could 

 not obtain any relief in the shape of delay, but were obliged at once to give 

 constant service, the Directors determined to lay a duplicate set of service- 

 pipes in every street, so that when called upon they could give either form 



