Water, water everywhere, / Nor any drop to drink

[Opener]

Has anyone any idea what went on / is going on with the 'services' at Gallows Bridge in Skipton (br 179 L&L)? Travelled into Skipton (South to North) a couple of weeks ago pumping Winters water out of our water tank as we travelled and stopped to fill up with clean fresh water. My nice new Watermans key fitted the Elsan and toilet doors but not the chunky CRT padlocks on the tap access doors. Tried my years old key and that did not fit. Even borrowed an aged key from Pennine when I asked if they knew the story but no dice.

Ended up making an unnecessary detour as far as the Niffany winding hole just to access the water point at br 176 + three swing bridges each way (plus one grounding!!!).

Rang CRT but they had no answer although said they would send someone out.  We dropped in two days later but keys still did not work. I did a lot of fiddling both days so I don't think it was my 'technique'?.

Lots of boating activity in the area so I'm guessing I'm not the only one affected - still waiting for an answer from CRT although it is a bit academic now - just curious about the reason.....

[magictime]

I don't know about that water point but you shouldn't have had to go as far as Niffany - there are two water points between the swing bridges in Skipton, aren't there?

Oh sorry, of course, you had to wind. Oops!

Edited April 10, 2019 by magictime
Edited for sheer dimwittedness

[Opener]

36 minutes ago, magictime said:

 there are two water points between the swing bridges in Skipton, aren't there?

Yes and no. The signs for the first one have now been sprayed with black paint ie no longer say 'water' and the tap is dry. The second still works - phew!

[jonathanA]

Last time we were moored there a while ago I noticed a charming Romany gentlemen arrive in his transit van in the car park and proceed to fill up a big water tank In the back of the van from the crt waterpoint. Clearly something he’d done before and had a key. wondering if that is connected? 

[Alan de Enfield]

13 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

.........….wondering if that is connected? 

If he got water out of it, then it probably is connected.

[Sea Dog]

12 hours ago, Opener said:

...pumping Winters water out of our water tank as we travelled and stopped to fill up with clean fresh water.

So, whether or not we sort out the great CRT water tap scandal, have we at least recognised the folly in ditching all of our fresh water before finding a proven source to replace it?

 

[Mike Todd]

I have heard (from their staff) that CaRT have been having increasing problems over a number of water points in the past 3 or 4 years as a result of the somewhat loose arrangements that were satisfactory back in the days when they were installed and most people thought that water came free, both out of the tap and the provision of access. In addition, users were less inclined to be litigious and some owners of the water points have become concerned about their liability in the event that someone claimed damages as a result of drinking the water. As a result, CaRT have had no option but to close off the facility. However, they do have targets about the frequency along the canal and I understand are proactive in trying to meet these but it is not always straightforward as they need to own a site where they have the right to connect to mains water. Canals, in general, were not built with this in mind and urbanisation often stops a little short of the water's edge. Even if a water main is nearby, a connection charge will be required. IIRC there is an invitation (on the CaRT web site?) to report sections that do not meet the frequency standard. It might also be useful to lobby the boating reps to press for the standard to be improved. It will be interesting to see how long it takes the Middle Level Commissioners to meet the existing CaRT standards, as they are now effectively committed to doing so long as they can sell enough licences!

[frahkn]

13 hours ago, jonathanA said:

Last time we were moored there a while ago I noticed a charming Romany gentlemen arrive in his transit van in the car park and proceed to fill up a big water tank In the back of the van from the crt waterpoint. Clearly something he’d done before and had a key. wondering if that is connected? 

While watering at Braunston recently (the two taps by Midland Chandlers) a guy with a bowser towed behind a van arrived and was still filling the bowser (he had a long hose) when we left.

[Machpoint005]

2 hours ago, frahkn said:

While watering at Braunston recently (the two taps by Midland Chandlers) a guy with a bowser towed behind a van arrived and was still filling the bowser (he had a long hose) when we left.

 

He may have had permission to do so -- that could be a useful source of income for CRT (ie selling the water company's water at a profit).

Or he might have been using the water on a CRT project nearby -- no objection to that. 

 

The point is, of course, that we don't actually know, so let's not jump to any conclusions.

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, frahkn said:

While watering at Braunston recently (the two taps by Midland Chandlers) a guy with a bowser towed behind a van arrived and was still filling the bowser (he had a long hose) when we left.

I remember Fred Dibnah just opening up a fire hydrant in the street and fitting a standpipe and hose to refill one of his traction engines.

[frahkn]

1 hour ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

He may have had permission to do so -- that could be a useful source of income for CRT (ie selling the water company's water at a profit).

Or he might have been using the water on a CRT project nearby -- no objection to that. 

 

The point is, of course, that we don't actually know, so let's not jump to any conclusions.

Very true and in fact I had no objection at the time - slowed down delivery at 'my' tap a bit but not a problem.

 

I included no conclusions whatever in my post, whether jumped to or limped to.

[Opener]

9 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

I have heard (from their staff) that CaRT have been having increasing problems over a number of water points in the past 3 or 4 years as a result of the somewhat loose arrangements that were satisfactory back in the days when they were installed and most people thought that water came free, both out of the tap and the provision of access.

I did hear the apocryphal tale of a freestanding tap at Gargrave which had to be disconnected when the local resident got the bill for her recently installed meter and found she had been supplying passing boaters as well as her own bath.