Former filter works

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A brick building aligned N-S on the S side of Carthall Road and comprising a one- and two-storey middle section with single-storey side annexes.

Middle section
This section is two storeys high at its N end, reducing to a single-storey section at middle and S. Flat concrete roof with slightly oversailing edges and raised parapet across S end. Cast-iron hoppers and down pipes. Red-brick walls on slightly advanced chamfered base course over concrete platform. Metal-framed windows, generally with 2x2-paned opening sections (hinged to middle). All openings have rendered-concrete architraves which project flush with their concrete cills.
Principal elevation faces N to road and is symmetrical. Double-leaf t&g entrance door to GF middle, flanked by 2x2 window to each side. Above door is painted panel with bronze lettering reading “Carthall Filter House 1951”. Above this panel is a 4x3-pane window, with 2x3-pane flankers.
E elevation of frontage of middle section has doorway and 2x2 window to GF and two 2x2 and one 2x4 windows to FF. Remainder of elevation is largely abutted by E annex, but four pairs of high-level 1x3 windows above.
S elevation has a pair of large sliding metal-sheeted doors to middle, with 3x2 flanking windows.
Front section of W elevation has three 2x2 windows to GF, and a 2x2 windows and infilled loading door to FF. The latter has a truncated cantilevered steel beam over, presumably once a hoisting bracket. Remainder of elevation is abutted by W annex, with four pairs of high-level 1x3 windows over.

E annex
Flat roof detailed as middle section. Walls are painted and rough-dashed over steel frame with infill panels (probably mass concrete). N elevation has three 3x2 windows. E elevation has two t&g sliding doors (one with picket gate) set between three pairs of 3x2 windows. S elevation has three 3x2 windows (one of which belongs to middle section).

W annex
Roof and walls as E annex. N elevation has large roller-shutter door. W elevation has 5 pairs of 3x2 windows. S elevation has three 3x2 windows (one of which belongs to middle section).

Setting
Tarmaced all around. At NE is two-storey former superintendent’s house: hipped concrete tile roof, rendered chimney, plastic RWG, painted rough-dashed walls, and replacement uPVC door and window frames. Small domestic garage at SE.
Approx 380m ENE is Carthall Service Reservoir, a grass-over underground tank which stores water pumped up from River Bann; surrounded by security fence and trees.

Roof: Flat concrete.
Rainwater goods: Cast-iron.
Walls: Brick and reinforced-concrete.
Windows: Mixture of 1x3, 2x2, 2x4 and 3x2 paned metal framed.

Historical information

This filter house was opened by the Coleraine, Portrush & Portstewart Waterworks Joint Board in 1951. The Board was constituted in 1945 to develop a regional water scheme and comprised representatives of Coleraine Rural District and Borough Councils, and Portrush and Portstewart Urban District Councils.
Plans for the filter house were first presented to the Board by its consultant engineers Ferguson & McIlveen in December 1949. The contract was advertised in March 1950 and was awarded to John Rainey & Co, a local building contractor. Work was underway by August and by April 1951 some of the filters were already in operation. The site was handed over to the Board in July of that year.
The total cost of the works was £28,209, of which the filters (supplied by the Turn-Over Filter Co) account for 50%, the building 37%, and a meter gauge (by R Platt & Sons) to measure the quantity of water processed the remaining 13%. There does not appear to have been any official opening, its only commemoration being the ‘1951’ date on the front of the building.
Initially, the filter house was supplied from the Board’s existing reservoir at Dunalis, 3km SW of the filter house. The water was chemically treated with ammonium sulphate and chlorine, and also filtered through sand beds.
The caretaker’s house and a garage adjoining the filter house were also designed by Ferguson & McIlveen and built by John Rainey & Co; they were completed in January 1954.
The premises are cited as ‘Works’ on the 1966 OS map which depicts the filter house, caretaker’s house and garage.
By the time the filter house opened, work had also started on a much larger reservoir at Ballinrees, 1km SW of the Dunalis Reservoir. Once completed, this, too, fed into the filter house prior to the water being distributed to consumers. Altikeeragh, near Castlerock, was eventually to be added to the network as well, as well as the Carthall Service Reservoir some 400m NE of the filter house. This reservoir is also shown on the 1966 map.
Some 20 years ago, the DOE Water Service deemed the filter works superfluous to requirements, a new water treatment works having been built at Ballinrees. The Carthall Filter House premises were sold to its present owner. The filter tanks etc were subsequently removed from the filter house, the pipe channels infilled, and a large two-storey extension added to the caretaker’s house.

References – Primary Sources:
1. PRONI LA/65/27AA/1. Minutes of Proceedings of the Coleraine, Portrush & Portstewart Waterworks Joint Board, 29/12/1949 to 1/11/1951.
2. PRONI LA/65/27AA/2. Minutes of Proceedings of the Coleraine, Portrush & Portstewart Waterworks Joint Board, 6/3/1952 to 7/1/1954.
3. Plaque on Filter House (1951).
4. PRONI OS/11/12/16/1. First edition OS 25-inch map IG sheet 12-16 (1966).

References – Secondary Sources:
1. Information from present owner (2013).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A one- and two-storey former water filter house opened by the Coleraine, Portrush & Portstewart Waterworks Joint Board in 1951. Designed by Ferguson and McIlveen architects the building is a good example of post - WW2 design and construction, it has a name/date plaque on its frontage in relief brass individual lettering. Although the original fittings have been removed, it represents a little altered example of 1950's utilitarian architecture in a good setting, at one time filtering water from 4 reservoirs, Carthall, Dunalis, Ballinrees and Altikeeragh. Whilst of some local interest not of sufficient quality to consider for listing.