Brum set for spa city status

Birmingham Metro News, 17.02.2000 - summary of article

The dream of Birmingham becoming the spa of Britain could become reality if plans to distribute the extensive ground water supply under the city to the rest of the country via the canal network are given the go-ahead. A geological fault under the city means tonnes of water is trapped against a rock face which runs from Bournville through to Erdington and city draniage experts say this may be utilised as drinking water.

The City's enormous canal network could supply this asset to the rest of the country, and.this would help alleviate the drought problems water companies experience in the summer.

The rising ground water has caused problems in some of the lower lying areas of Aston and Witton. In the City's industrial heyday the water was extracted by companies such as ICI and Ansells Brewery; but there is little need to utilise it in modem times so the rising ground water has increased.

"Because of the geographical position of Birmingham, water may be used to supplement existing flows in the River Tame to be used further downstream where there is greater need," said the report. 'Likewise water could be transfered to other parts of the Country by the canal system."

And Birmirngham University lecturers also feel there is an advantage to attracting this valuable resource.

A Severn Trent Water spokesperson said they are at the early stages of their investigations. 'We are now trying to find out how much is there, if it is clean and if it is drinkable. We will then find out if we can utilise it," he said.