February 27, 2020 11.52 am This story is over 49 months old

See inside stunning underground reservoir in Lincoln

Anglian Water captured photos during a recent inspection

Anglian Water captured stunning photos after engineers emptied one of the UK’s oldest underground reservoirs in Bracebridge Heath during a routine inspection.

The reservoir normally holds 27 million litres of treated water, but for the first time in three years it has been drawn down to be fully cleaned and inspected.

For the first time in three years it has been drawn down to be fully cleaned and inspected. Photo: Anglian Water

It was built in 1912 on Grantham Road to provide clean, healthy water to the city of Lincoln after one of the worst typhoid outbreaks in the country’s history. Contaminated water was responsible for 113 deaths in the city in 1904.

After a public outcry, work soon started on Westgate Water Tower. New boreholes providing fresh, clean water were dug and pipelines were laid. The new storage reservoir was completed and put into service in 1912.

The reservoir and the iconic Westgate Tower still serve the city today. Photo: Anglian Water

Jon Pawson, Water Supply Manager for Anglian Water, said: “The network in Lincoln has been modernised and upgraded over the years but this reservoir and the iconic Westgate Tower still serve the city today.

“We’re hugely proud to be guardians of Lincoln’s water today, and to operate and maintain a network first started by engineering pioneers more than a century ago.”

One of the photos captured during a routine inspection at the underground reservoir in Bracebridge Heath. Photo: Anglian Water

More than 500 underground treated water reservoirs are used by Anglian Water across the East of England. Underground storage reservoirs hold safe, clean drinking water and provide resilient storage at points across the company’s 38,000km network of water pipeline. Engineers inspect these structures as part of a routine maintenance programme.

See inside the underground reservoir

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water

Photo: Anglian Water