If you have a chat with the friends of Canon Hill Park, Birmingham, UK, they’ll tell you about a wonderful scale model tucked away in the open air to the edge of their garden area.

The model is of a Victorian scheme of reservoirs.

Early in the development stage of this scheme, Liverpool were interested in the water supply but eventually the expanding City of Birmingham secured the supply and countless thousands went to dig by hand and build in brickwork, a vast supply tunnel.

#WaterHeritage at its best, it lasted. It’s in use to this day with a few ‘mends’ using concrete rings.

Unless you know the route like our guide on the day, the artist Kate Green, you would never imagine the amount of earth moving and earth replacing needed. With this good clean mountain water, Birmingham was able to grow.

London for example is only able to keep its size by recycling  most of its used water.