A decade after it was drained and abandoned, Llanishen Reservoir is finally being filled back up again.
Stunning shots taken by drone on a frosty January morning show just how much work has been done over the last decade to restore the two reservoirs to their former glory.
As Welsh Water has progressed its restoration works, it has so far relied on rainwater and nearby streams to begin the lengthy process of filling the two massive reservoirs.
But the latest pictures show a pumping station and a network of pipes are now being used to pump water into both the Llanishen and Lisvane lakes.
Locals are already getting excited about what future plans are in store for the landmark, which was built more than 100 years ago to supply clean water from the Brecon mountains to the city of Cardiff.
At one point, it looked as though the whole site would be filled in and concreted over with hundreds of new homes. But after years of campaigning, revised plans and new owners, the reservoirs were given a reprieve and could soon feature sailing boats and fishing stands in scenes reminiscent of the 1970s.
A reservoir for a growing city
Up until the 1840s, people in Cardiff relied on public and private wells for the supply of water. In the year 1841, when the town was divided into two parishes - St. John the Baptist and St. Mary - the population was only 10,077.
The most important of the public wells was in the centre of the thoroughfare now known as High Street opposite the premises now occupied by Lloyds Bank.
But with the construction of the Rhymney Railway in 1858, and the Bute East Dock in 1859, the city expanded quickly and with it, so did the demand for water.
In 1860, the Cardiff Waterworks Company obtained water from the streams at Lisvane, where it was decided it would also construct a storage reservoir, which was constructed in 1864-5.
By the 1880s the need to obtain an additional supply meant the waterworks committee agreed another reservoir should be built. Llanishen Reservoir was completed in 1884 at a cost of £64,280.
By the 1970s, both reservoirs were declared redundant for water supply purposes, although Welsh Water held on to them until 2004. For over thirty years, the people of Cardiff were able to walk around the two lakes, while on Llanishen there was an active Cardiff Council sailing school and a fly fishing club.
From sailing lake to mud
Things changed in 2004 when both reservoirs were bought by Western Power Distribution (WPD). The sailing school disappeared, fly fishing was banned and fences and locked gates stopped the public from gaining access. Then came a planning application to partially drain Llanishen Reservoir and build over 320 houses and apartments.
This was the start of a 10-year planning battle between WPD, planners and local residents, including three public inquiries in 2006, 2008 and 2011.
The developers were repeatedly refused planning consent, despite numerous applications over the years.
In 2009, the campaign group with the loudest voice, the Reservoir Action Group, helped secure Listed Building status for Llanishen Reservoir as part of the Taff Fawr water supply system for Cardiff dating from the 1800s.
In the end, WPD's final planning application in 2013 was refused due to the potential harm of a listed structure and unacceptable vehicular access onto Lisvane Road.
The political wranglings didn't stop WPD from draining the reservoirs in 2010 for a 'safety inspection' and Llanishen Reservoir was never refilled.
Two years later, WPD formally had Llanishen Reservoir abandoned as a reservoir under the Reservoirs Act 1975, meaning a professional reservoir engineer needed to inspect and declare the structure safe before it could ever be refilled.
New owners, new hope
In September 2013, WPD gave up their development hopes and sold the reservoirs to Celsa, a Catalan company who took over the Allied Steel and Wire works in Cardiff Bay in 2003.
Celsa wanted to take water from the Lisvane reservoir for its steelworks in Cardiff Bay but it was a difficult period for the steel industry and the steel giant didn't have the time or resources to re-develop the site itself.
Cue the return of Welsh Water, who in January 2016, were granted a 999 year lease for the reservoir site.
It was good news for campaigners and residents alike, as Welsh Water wasted no time in announcing it hoped to refill Llanishen reservoir and allow public access to the area once more.
Restoration works
Work began on the restoration of Llanishen reservoir in July 2016 and the initial work involved the clearing of vegetation that had grown up alongside the main dam.
This was followed by repairs to some of the valve work as well as the complete drain down of Llanishen reservoir which had partially refilled due to a blocked scour valve.
Repairs to the pitching and other infrastructure followed, new pipes were fitted and a new power supply was installed. By June 2019, the process of refilling the lakes was begun, using rainwater and local streams.
Because of the size of the lakes, refilling them could take up to two years. Engineers have now constructed a refill pumping station which is being used to fill the Llanishen Reservoir by switching between local watercourses and its neighbour, Lisvane Reservoir.
Welsh Water told WalesOnline it had made 'very good process' in recent months and it would soon start to formalise plans for future recreational plans for the whole site.
A Welsh Water spokesman said: “We have made very good progress with the remedial works at the Llanishen and Lisvane Reservoir site over the past few years as we work towards our long-term plan to restore the reservoirs to their former glory.
“As part of this long-term plan, we have begun re-filling Llanishen reservoir as it is now safe to do so – but this will take time to complete and we will continue to carry out work at the site alongside this process over the next few months.
“We are continuing to engage with the community on future recreational plans for the site, and hope to be in a position to update on our plans in early spring.”
Will sailing return?
The latest plans for the reservoir show a visitor centre and cafe could be built, as well as a possible return of sailing and other water sports.
The last update from Welsh Water said: "While we’ve been working hard to restore the reservoirs, we have also been busy continuing to develop plans for public access and recreation in the future.
"It’s been great to receive so many suggestions from people in the local area about the kinds of facilities they’d like to see at the site, which include water sports – especially sailing, canoeing, kayaking, open water swimming; fishing; walking and running routes, dog walking and a café."
Welsh Water is understood to have held discussions with water sports companies, including charity the Andrew Simpson Foundation
In 2018, Tim Anderson, who works for the charity, said: "The reservoir is an incredible location for watersports. This would be a fantastic opportunity for water sports to get back to that area."
Ann Barrett, from the group Friends of Llanishen Sailing Centre, said the return of sailing to Llanishen reservoir "would be the best thing to happen to water sports in Wales for the last 15 years".
