Little Lever - Infrastructure

Infrastructure

In the early days, water was obtained from local sources and some shallow wells driven into the underlying sandstone. As the industry took a hold, more water and from a reliable source was required. In 1872, the Bury Improvement Act allowed the Bury Improvement Commissioners to take over Bury, Radcliffe, (who supplied Little Lever), Haslingden and Rawtenstall Waterworks Companies, in 1876, the Commissioners were replaced by Bury Borough Council.

Bury and District Joint Water Board was set up in 1900 with responsibility for Bury County Borough, the Municipal Boroughs of Haslingden, Radcliffe and Rawtenstall and the Urban Districts of Kearsley, Little Lever, Ramsbottom and Tottington). The name was changed in 1935 to the Irwell Valley Water Board and then in 1962, under the Bolton Water Order 1962, was replaced by Bolton Borough Council. In 1974 with the changes in local government, the whole was replaced by the North West Water Authority.