In the heart of the 200-hectare Inglis Falls Conservation
Area, hidden underground, are the historic Rockford Water Filters. These
slow sand filters, constructed in 1910-12, provided potable water to the City
of Owen Sound from 1912 through 1969. The cavernous filtration plant and its
operations are fascinating local lore unknown to many area residents. You are
invited to see and hear for yourself on Thursday, Nov.13, 10am. Join Grey Sauble Conservation and Grey-Bruce
Adventours staff at Inglis Falls for this exclusive 2-hour walking
adventure. Cost is $10 per person. Photographers: This is a great opportunity
to shoot a unique bit of our heritage!
The Rockford Filters consist of 2 massive concrete
boxes, roofed and grass-covered. Each contains natural filtering materials in
layers of sand, fine gravel and coarser gravel totaling a depth of 80cm. Water
from the Sydenham River was directed into the system, filtered through, and
piped to a 5-million gallon reservoir on Owen Sound’s east side. From there it
gravity-fed to homes, business and industry. Over 400 men worked to pour
concrete and lay pipe during construction.
When the filters were operating, they were cleaned by hand.
For 2 full days, 3 men skimmed the dirty sand, 2 men ran wheelbarrows, and 1
man operated the sand washer. The clean sand was spread on a concrete pad to
dry. It was then wheelbarrow-fed back into the filter through overhead grates.
The cleaning schedule varied depending on water and weather conditions but
cleaning was sometimes necessary every 10 days. This labour-intensive process
would be very daunting for most of us today.
The Inglis Falls area offers many glimpses into our
cultural, natural, and geological past. The tour will include a look at other
industries on site, as well as the glacial potholes. We hope you will join us
in exploring these special Grey County treasures.
Post Event: 15 people attended event despite the snow. Everyone learned lots and had fun. Several photographers got to practice with shutter speeds and low light conditions.
Doors Open in June may be your next opportunity to visit this cool bit of Grey County history.
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| Inglis Falls, Snowy November Day |
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| Glacial Pothole near Inglis Falls |
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| Krista McKee, Grey Sauble Conservation, Provides Intro and Welcome |
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| Part of Sydenham River Disappears into Underground Drainage |
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| Entrance to Filters above Inglis Falls |
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| Massive Underground Water Filter Cavern |
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| Fun with Long Shutter Speeds- Note Flashlight Trail |
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| Overhead Grate Allowed Clean Sand to Be Added to Filterbed |
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| On the Sand |
