An historic drinking fountain in Sandwell which is set for a £75,000 restoration will never flow again - after bosses said it would break health and safety rules.
The 102-year-old drinking fountain at Warley Woods, in Smethwick, is set to undergo a transformation following campaigns by history buffs who want it brought back to its former glory.
Despite the investment to repair the dilapidated landmark, it has now emerged that not a drop of water will flow from the Edwardian fountain once it is repaired, because it still has its original lead pipes.
Park bosses said it would not be able ensure that people did not drink out of the fountain, and that replacing the lead pipes with a new mains water supply would be too expensive.
A report to the council from the architects behind the work states the fountain would remain non-operational “due to problems in providing and maintaining a safe water supply, and to the difficulties in complying with health and safety
Viv Cole, Warley Woods Community Trust manager, said: “We had wondered if we could restore it with some water flowing for dogs to drink. But we were advised it would still be impossible to stop a human from drinking it.
“The likelihood is that there were lead pipes used originally so we would have to put a new mains supply.
“Drinking fountains like this were put in at a time when the public didn’t have a ready supply of clean drinking water in their homes. Practically no-one restores fountains for the public to drink from anymore.”
Under the restoration plans, crumbling masonry will be repaired and a new gothic-style timber and tiled roof will be installed.
But Warley MP John Spellar said today that the Trust should “re-think” the investment if the fountain could not be put into use.
By Chris Moriarty
10 Comments
Hidding behind the H&S act again. easy way out cus nobody will argue.
Absolutely typical.
Report abuse
Good attempt here to tarnish Sandwell Council by the Express and Star. The headline mentions Health and Safety grounds cueing outrage from Middle England and it isn’t until the end of the third paragraph that Chris mentions dangerous lead piping (which seems an entirely sensible move from the Council). Try to be a bit fairer E+S.
Report abuse
Oh dear looks like i’m in trouble and most of the residence of sandwells old terraced properties. Most of them still have lead pipes,are they going to declare us a health and safety problem. I wonder why i feel funny sometimes ha-sorry folks.
Report abuse
“BUT WARLEY MP JOHN SPELLAR SAID TODAY THAT THE TRUST SHOULD “RE-THINK” THE INVESTMENT IF THE FOUNTAIN COULD NOT BE PUT INTO USE” its not a problem John if cost is your main concern, we can just get rid of the free pensions for part time councillors, or better still stop paying MP’s horrendous and unsustainable expense accounts, that cant be justified.
What I would like to know is where has all the money been spent on Warley Woods?
A few tarmac paths.
One slide [ usually covered in sludge ] a few chunks of carved wood, a large round tyre thing hanging on 3 chains, 2 swings unsuitable for anyone above toddler age.
There are two other swings, for some inexplicable reason, hidden about a hundred feet away from the play area in the middle of the trees, looking at the height that these two swings are set at, I can only assume their only purpose is to smash young children’s head in, why on earth would you have a swing nearly a meter in height from the ground?
I can remember this fountain in its better days when it many others like it, just had a sort of bell on a chain for people to drink out of, I am 66, I just can’t imagine how I lived this long considering all the risks I tok drinking out of lead pipes and drinking out of utensils used by others.
Jim of Bearwood.
Report abuse
Maybe sandwell council should be spending their money more wisely ? I read the artical last week about a lady who lives in sandwell and didn;t have her rubbish collected. I also live in sandwell, and we’re lucky if we get our refuse collected once a month. Stop wasting tax payers money on trash like this, and try to improve the services that the council should be providing but are failing.
Report abuse
How many people have died recently drinking water from lead pipes? If the water is constantly flowing the buildup of lead in the water is surely reduced, and unless someones drinking gallons of the stuff over a few years the risk is insignificant.
People probably face more risk from getting splinters from the wooden surround or being hit on the head from a tile in windy weather, its about time H & S was put into perspective. I remember eating dirt, running with scissors, climbing trees and doing other ‘dangerous’ things in my younger days and its done me no harm.
Get a life people.
Report abuse
I live in Buxton Derbyshire we have numerous drinking wells that flow 24/7. Due to age of these wells I doubt if they have modern pipework to them. This water is shipped all over the world.
Report abuse
Hang on the councils not funding this is coming from the Warley Woods trust fund.
Report abuse
Warley Woods is managed by a Community Trust and not Sandwell MBC. The money for this project has been specifically raised for this work and can only be spent on it. The money has come from two landfill tax funds and from public donations.
In reply to Jim G, Heritage Lottery Money was spent on paths, tree works, fencing and archaeology. The play area was paid for by Big Lottery Money. The swings outside the play area were funded by Smethwick Town Committee for older young people who could not use the play area (for under 12s). The swings are at the height specified by manufactor’s standard.
Report abuse
Dear Viv Cole, I thank you for your input, what I did notice was the lack of detail in the cost area!!!!!!
Consultation costs, meetings expenses etc.
I trust that a sufficient insurance fund has been provided, to pay a compensation claim to a child who is casually walking through the wooded area, and then suddenly finds they have come into contact with those unprotected swings being used by an older child??????
While they may have been fitted in accordance with “the height specified by manufacture’s standard” I think you will find that a smattering of intelligence should also have been used when installing these facilities.
While they may have been fitted to “the height specified by manufacture’s standard” and the manufacturer was the expert, remember the unsinkable ship the “Titanic” was built by an expert!!!!
Two swings???????? Is that all this council could afford to spend on the thousands of young children in the borough, who in a few short years will become the new Council Electors!!!!!!!!
I sincerely hope that people will look at all the facts before condemning the mindless vandals in the borough, who having no facilities provided for them, naturally get bored, unlike our council officials who can live a lavish lifestyle on the hundreds of thousands of pounds salaries and expenses.
Jim of Bearwood.
Report abuse