▁the ▁treatment ▁works ▁beginning ▁production ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁The ▁formal ▁opening ▁took ▁place ▁over ▁a ▁year ▁later , ▁when ▁ ▁Henry ▁Bro oke , ▁MP , ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁H ous ing ▁and ▁Local ▁Government , ▁performed ▁the ▁ceremony ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁The ▁total ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁project ▁was ▁£ 6 ▁million , ▁and ▁when ▁full , ▁the ▁res er voir ▁can ▁hold ▁. ▁If ▁supplies ▁around ▁ ▁or ▁treated ▁water ▁per ▁day , ▁although ▁the ▁maximum ▁through put ▁of ▁the ▁works ▁is ▁ ▁per ▁day . ▁Water ▁levels ▁fl uct uate ▁season ally , ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁winter ▁months , ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁per ▁day ▁are ▁p ump ed ▁into ▁the ▁res er voir ▁via ▁the ▁Lang ford ▁pipeline . ▁ ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁rising ▁dem ands ▁for ▁water ▁faced ▁by ▁both ▁companies , ▁the ▁next ▁major ▁project ▁was ▁the ▁E ly - O use ▁to ▁Es sex ▁Transfer ▁Sch eme . ▁Sur plus ▁water ▁in ▁the ▁River ▁Great ▁O use , ▁which ▁would ▁otherwise ▁flow ▁into ▁the ▁sea , ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁di vert ed ▁via ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁channels , ▁t unn els ▁and ▁pip elines ▁to ▁augment ▁supplies ▁to ▁the ▁Ab ber ton ▁and ▁H anning field ▁res er voir s . ▁At ▁the ▁northern ▁end , ▁the ▁C ut ▁Off ▁Channel ▁car ries ▁the ▁head w aters ▁of ▁the ▁River ▁L ark , ▁the ▁River ▁Little ▁O use ▁and ▁the ▁River ▁W isse y ▁to ▁the