Waterford News 30 March 1900
The New Waterworks at Lismore
The construction of the new reservoir for these works
is now rapidly approaching completion, and in the near future the inhabitants
of Lismore can enjoy the immense benefit of a copious and high-pressure water
supply. It appears the engineering operations involved in this undertaking have
proved of a most difficult character, but we are glad to learn that the almost
insurmountable obstacles that beset the engineer in the execution of the work
have at length been overcome by the work and perseverance with which the
operations were pushed.
In fact, our representative informs us that all
through the recent severe winter everything was urged ahead with ceaseless
energy. Huge excavations were necessary to cope with the great subterranean
springs discovered in the rocks…which at one time threatened to be fatal to the
entire scheme, while throughout the long winter nights the valley was lit up
with the glare of furnaces, and the stillness of the mountainside was broken by
the unending rattle of powerful steam pumps and other machinery. The site of
the works is at a valley on the lower slopes of the Knockmealdown Mountains,
some two and a half miles from Lismore and the utilization of an ancient road
embankment crossing the valley, for a reservoir dam, was pronounced by high
authorities to be a daring and difficult experiment entailing as it did works
of a peculiarly novel description in order that it might be made watertight and
safe. The daring experiment, however, has fortunately been justified by its
success. Even a brief description of the various works at the reservoir and
throughout the catchment basin would require an intimate knowledge of the
engineering aspect of the case. His Grace the Duke of Devonshire, with great
munificence, has spent thousands of pounds on this work, thereby giving much
needed employment in the locality, and we congratulate the engineer (Mr.
Scully, Waterford), who, so ably designed and successfully carried out this important
and difficult undertaking.
If anybody has any additional knowledge or information
about the location of the reservoir, please contact the museum.
