Historical fountain turned off over health fears

8 hours ago

Julia Gregory,in Hascombeand

Patrick Barlow,South East

News image — The Grade II listed fountain will need to have its water quality tested three times before it can be used again

Julia Gregory / BBC A fountain coming out of a stone wall. The wall has faded inscriptions on it. — The Grade II listed fountain will need to have its water quality tested three times before it can be used again

A water fountain which has seen visitors flock from far and wide for a sip faces drying up for good after being closed over health and safety concerns.

Hascombe Fountain, in the village near Godalming, Surrey, has been supplying water since it was built in 1877, with visitors coming from as far as Aberdeen.

But the village's parish council now says it has had to turn off the taps as the water is not drinkable, but is looking at how it could get the fountain flowing again in the future.

Hascombe resident Ted Dwyer told BBC Radio Surrey: "I have spoken to people who have come with 15 or 20 five-litre containers to fill up and take away with them."

He added: "People see the warning signs but don't take any notice of them."

Hascombe Parish Council said it had been instructed to turn off the supply for the fountain by Waverley Borough Council.

A Waverley Borough Council spokesperson said it had taken advice from the Drinking Water Inspectorate that restricting access to the water was a "sensible precaution".

They added: "The Hascombe Fountain is an ageing structure and is not maintained or regulated as a drinking water source."

The fountain, which has Grade II listed status, will now need to have its water quality tested three times before it can be used again, which the parish council says will cost about £2,100.

Julia Gregory / BBC A woman stood next to a stone wall with inscriptions on it. She is holding a sign reading "Not drinking water". — Sarah Sullivan, chair of Hascombe Parish Council, said signs warning the water was not drinkable had disappeared

The parish council also said it would need to pay for fortnightly testing in order to ensure the water was drinkable, costing about £6,000.

It says it is working with Waverley Borough Council to find a way forward and return drinkable supply to the fountain.

Waverley Borough Council said it was "continuing to work with the parish council to explore whether the water could be made safe to drink in the future".

Among its plans is to ask residents whether or not they would consider paying more in their council tax bills to help maintain the fountain - amounting to about £33 a year for band D homes.

Sarah Sullivan, chair of Hascombe Parish Council, said: "We struggle to keep signs on the fountain, every time we put one up it gets taken away.

"It's a listed building but that doesn't trump environmental health, and it is an environmental health issue at the moment."

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