Looks like Longdyke was causing some serious pollution down at Alnmouth, resulting in Iron overdoses!
Alnmouth Water Supply.—
At the ordinary meeting of Alnwick Rural District Council on Monday, Mr T. H. Jobling presiding, the Inspector reported that he and the Medical Officer (Dr Scott Purves) had been investigating the conditions causing the contamination of the Alnmouth water supply. They found the supply above a pit heap perfectly clear, while below the pit heap and in Alnmouth the water was yellow. Excavations had been commenced to ascertain whether any surface water fouled by the pit heap had found its way down to the new iron pipe, and had flowed along it to where the main was composed of sanitary pipes.---The Medical Officer, in his report, remarked that if the Council did not take some strong measures- to prevent the waste of water at the colliery stand pipe the people of Alnmouth were not likely to get much water, contaminated or otherwise, from the old supply.---Mr Wm. Robertson said the contamination of the water supply was now becoming a very serious matter for the people of Alnmouth, there being so many cases of illness amongst them which was attributable to the water. One gentleman who had consulted a doctor was told that he had been overdosed with iron.—Orders were given to the inspector to proceed with the greatest energy towards effecting a remedy, and it was also agreed that the clerk write to the owners of Shilbottle Colliery asking them to avoid placing a pit heap on the line of pipes, and also to endeavour to prevent the waste of water complained of.—it was resolved that application be made to the Local Government Board for sanction to borrow from the Public Works Loan Commissioners a sum of £1,500 for increasing Alnmouth water supply by bringing the Snab Leazes springs.
The Newcastle Weekly Courant, Saturday, October 28, 1899
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