Day1 the adventure begins

What a start! A helicopter ride over some of the land owned and managed by Yorkshire water, the second biggest land owner in Yorkshire. Learnt about how yorkshire water are working with the land managers and tenant farmers to try different ways of growing crops and farming that would have a smaller impact on the water run off into the reservoirs.  Flying over the Washburn valley and saw some of the land management systems being tried out in an attempt to restore the water levels in the peat whilst balancing with the requirements of the landowners for productivity and recreation. 

Dan and Hannah enjoying the helicopter ride

Views over the beautiful Yorkshire landscape

Some of the moorland management (heather regrowth) principles employed by local farmers

We landed at scar house reservoir and had a fantastic time looking at the origins of the reservoir and dam   wall right  through to the current technological management of the water supply for the whole of Bradford.  It is a real feat of engineering and the attention to detail was amazing. We followed the water from the dam down the valley to the treatment works, we tried sending the girls through the water pipes but health and safety .......

This afternoon, Adele at the water works led us through the journey of the water through the cleaning process, from arriving from the reservoirs, through removal of what looked like chocolate mouse and pumping air in to help separate the dirt out right through to the clear and clean water that is ready to drink. It is a complicated process, through massive vats but it takes only three hours! The water is stored in a big underground holding reservoir right next to the works but not for long: the holding reservoir only stores about half the water required by everyone in Leeds in one day!

Amazing, thrilling, fun day. Flaw in the plan is I can hardly stay awake to write the blog...

Julie