Folkestone and Dover Water Services has over 150 years of experience in the water industry. The history of the Company can be traced back to Folkestone’s first piped water supply.

Aside from the part of Kent which is closest to London, Folkestone was the first town in the county to have a public water supply operated under the powers of the Waterway Clauses Act 1847 – the Act which opened the way to create water undertakings throughout the land.

In November 1847 the Mayor took the chair at a meeting which outlined a scheme for creating a reservoir covering around three acres of The Cherry Garden, and for conveying water throughout the town by means of pipes. The practicality of the Scheme was attested to Mr Martin Bulmer, who estimated the elevation of the reservoir would provide sufficient head of pressure to allow supplies to serve the top of the highest house in the town. The service would be continual and available at all times.

Lord Radnor was in favour of the scheme and on the 30th November the Maidstone Journal carried an advertisement for the sale of 1200 £10 shares in The Folkestone Waterworks Company which would raise the £12,000 capital required. The Company was formed in June 1848 but the project was bitterly opposed by the South Eastern Railway on the grounds that it would interfere with Folkestone Harbour. The matter went to the House of Lords who found in favour of the Company prompting the ringing of church bells throughout Folkestone.

Dover was not far behind in getting a piped water supply, a Mr Walker, seeing a business opportunity purchased a piece of land in Connaught Road in 1850 with the intention of starting a Water Company. That year the Public Health Act was passed and the Dover Corporation decided to install both water supply and sewage systems. They subsequently bought the site from Mr Walker and by 1854 had established wells and pumping equipment and had built an underground reservoir. Towards the end of the century additional wells and reservoirs were needed together with new steam engines to meet the rising weekly demand of six million gallons. The steam engines remained in service until 1930 when they were replaced by Worthington Simpson triple-expansion engines – the last of their kind ever constructed. When these were replaced with electrical pumping plant in 1970 one of them was placed in the museum of stationery engines at Norwich, the other remains at Connaught today.

After 40 years of serving the town The Folkestone Water Company submitted a Bill to Parliament to enable them to expand the supply to outlying districts. The Company was successful and three further parishes were added to the area of supply.

This was increased further in 1939 with two more parishes and by the incorporation into the company of the Elham Valley Water Company in 1950 and then the Littlestone Undertaking in 1953. In 1970 Folkestone Water Company acquired Dover, Hythe and Sandgate undertakings becoming the Folkestone District Water Company. In March 1989 General Utilities, against strong competition, acquired FDWC and in June 1992 the Company became Folkestone and Dover Water Services.

Today our head office sits only a stones throw from the original reservoir site which was the foundation of the Company over 150 years previously and original production sites like Connaught are still providing water for the customers within our supply area.