Brackley: Water Capital of P.E.I.

Brackley, has the distinction of being the most functional watershed on P.E.l. Built in I930, the pumping station located on the East» side of the Brackley Pt. Road, is the major water source for the residents of Charlot— tetown and vicinity. Prior to its construction, the only water sources were Malpeque and lower Malpeque, whose outputs Were not sufficient to meet the growing demands of City residents. Today, Brackley is the major supplier, with Malpeque used only to bring thereservoir up to a required level.

In i875, the City of Charlottetown employed Richard Murdock, Chief Engineer from St. John, N.B., to conduct an extensive survey of possible water supply sources for the City. In the fall of that year, Murdock com- pleted the first survey of the Winter River and ascertained that behind the Bryenton farm on the Union Road, the river rose to about twenty-four feet above the highest point in the City. Furthermore, where the river sprung up at the foot of ”Black Pond”, in Brackley, there was a dramatic artisian effect. However, it wasn’t until I929, that the City of Charlottetown decided to act upon the information provided in this valuable survey, and promote the construction of a pumping station in Brackley, on the site described by Murdock.

The first step, was to test the water from the Winter River in Brackley. It was determined that it was the best water on the Island. It was moderately hard, being I20 to I30 parts/mill., and of low acidity, Ph of about 8. This information proved conclusuvely, that Brackley should be the future water supplier for Charlottetown. Not only would it provide an abundant water supply, but, the water would be less corrosive to pipes, due to its low acidity. Such prophecy was indeed correct, for in 1962, the original water line still functioned at 80 070 of its capacity.

The actual drilling began shortly after the results of the water tests became public. Property was bought from Charles Mallett, of Brackley, and a firm from St. George, N.B., was retained to commence operations. Three deep wells, depth approx. five hundred feet, and eighteen shallow wells, depth from eighteen to eighty feet, were dug. Local men were hired to help with the construction of a main transmission line into Charlottetown. In 1930, the pumping station was completed. It was designed to pump 13.90 U.S. gallons per minute, a total of approx. one million U.S. gallons per day. Such a feat has been accomplished ever after.

The main water transmission line into Charlottetown, proiects at an angle from the pumping station and crosses the Brackley Pt. Road into Raymond Sellick’s field in Brackley. From this point onwards, the line

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