| Administrative History | As the town of Ilkeston grew rapidly in the late nineteenth century, it became increasingly difficult to provide clean water. In spite of the efforts of Ilkeston Corporation, which took over from Ilkeston Local Board of Health in 1887, there were several outbreaks of typhoid. These resulted from using unsuitable water from Stanley Brook, wells and the Nutbrook Canal. As Heanor faced similar problems, it was decided to set up a joint supply, using water from Meerbrook Sough.
The Ilkeston and Heanor Water Act 1901 set up the Water Board, which was comprised of 13 members, 8 being appointed by Ilkeston Borough corporation and 5 by the Heanor Urban District Council. The Board opened new waterworks in 1904 at Whatstandwell, which were extended in 1932. They provided enough water to satisfy demand, using storage reservoirs and the installation of several pumping stations. Marlpool Reservoir was built in the late 1920's and the Croft Yard Reservoir followed in 1950. The Board kept control of water supply until 1961, when it was merged with other water undertakings to form the South Derbyshire Water Board.
The alphabetically-referenced series in this collection derive from the Meerbrook Sough Company. The owners of the Sough were incorporated by the Meerbrook Sough Act 1841, enabling them to levy dues and tolls to continue and maintain it. Working of the Sough had begun in 1772 to drain the Wirksworth mining field, but it became expedient to incorporate the owners of the Sough to obtain the dues and tolls from the actual owners of the mines. By the Ilkeston and Heanor Water Act 1901, the Water Board constituted in it was given the power to acquire the undertaking of the Meerbrook Sough Company and to construct works to intercept and distribute the waters of the Sough, so that it could be used to meet the demands for water in the Ilkeston Borough and Heanor UDC areas. The purchase by the Water Board was carried out by articles of agreement dated 11 Dec 1900 for the sum of £5,000. |
| Custodial History | The records were transferred to the Record Office in 1986, 1988 and 1993. |