It is only in an abnormal drought that these dewponds really
fail, and a thunderstorm, followed by ordinary weather, will soon
refill them. Gilbert White, in _The Natural History of Selborne_,
refers to these ponds in a very interesting letter on the subject,
including details of condensation by trees, in which he gives an
instance of a particular pond, high up on the Down, 300 feet above his
house, and situated in such a position that it was impossible for it
to receive any water from springs or drainage, which "though never
above three feet deep in the middle, and not more than thirty feet in
diameter, and containing, perhaps, not more than two or three hundred
hogsheads of water, yet never is known to fail, though it affords
drink for three hundred or four hundred sheep, and for at least twenty
head of large cattle besides."
The natural well-water in the Vale of Evesham is exceedingly hard, and
in the town and some villages was formerly much contaminated. After
great opposition from obstructive ratepayers, a splendid supply was
obtained from the Cotswolds above Broadway, about six miles away, of
much softer and really pure spring water. It comes in pipes by
gravitation, so there is no expense of pumping; but it was difficult
to get recalcitrant ratepayers to lay the water on from the mains to
their houses, as that part of the cost had to be borne by them
individually; and, before compulsion could be resorted to, the Council
had to prove contamination of the wells and close them.
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