WELL I NEVER !
(Hemel Hempstead Gazette 16/11/2005)
Hospice saves thousands by digging into own water supply
by Pete Bennett

The Hospice of St Francis has struck water - and saved a small fortune in the process.

Taking its campaign slogan - Dig Deep - to heart, the hospice has literally dug, deep into the chalk of the Chilterns, and found a plentiful supply of clean water for the new premises.

Although impossible to calculate exactly, hospice chiefs believe the new well could save them hundreds of thousands of pounds over the next few years.

Gordon Yearwood, project manager of the new building said: "This is definitely digging deep for the new hospice !
"We went down about 100 metres and struck water at 70 metres.
"We have found an extremely abundant supply of good clean water that we hope will more than meet the demands of the new hospice ."

The hospice had provided water suppliers with its estimated water requirements but after long delays in getting an answer back decided to take matters into its own hands.

Gordon said: "We have been in discussions with the water suppliers for around a year-and-a-half and they haven't been able to guarantee that they will be able to supply it.
"It reached the point where the hospice could not afford to run the risk of this going on and on so we consulted with local people and
it came to light that we were very probably sitting on a very good source of water directly below the new site."
The source is thought to be about 10,000 years old.

The hospice brought in experts from the Environment Agency and Dacorum's Environmental Health department and consulted with the former Aldbury-based spring water suppliers Danone.
Gordon said: "They are actually in a very similar location to us, on top of a hill. We used them as something of a role model."

When construction began on the new hospice site this year, large of amounts of water were required and without any on-site supply all water had to be brought in by tanker.
Gordon said: "It was costing up to £2,000 a week to bring in the water and this was money for which we hadn't budgeted.
"We also didn't want tankers coming along the road to the site eight times a day, especially for the sake of our neighbors.
"Although it was a risk to dig the well , which cost £12,000, it has already paid for itself in just three months and in the long term will save us thousands and thousands of pounds."

On Monday, after months of strict testing, the hospice was officially given the green light to use its new water supply not just for construction, but for day to day use when the building is completed.

To celebrate the discovery a multi-faith well -blessing ceremony was held at the new hospice site on Monday with representatives from the Masorti Synagogue in St Albans, the Quwwatul Mosque in Hemel Hempstead, the Bhakdivedanta community, the Dacorum Indian Society and the Archdeacon of St Albans the Venerable Helen Cuncliffe.

After the blessing ceremony guests enjoyed a cup of tea made with the new water supply.
Gordon said: "It has been a bit of a blessing for us. It's a very natural and essential resource and nearly all religions have some sort of blessing ceremony after finding water.
"It's a great boost for us and the whole Dig Deep campaign."

PLEASED: Gordon Yearwood, project manager.

PLENTIFUL SUPPLY: Hospice physio Joanna Blake and the new water and left, blessing of water source at new hospice site in Berkhamsted.