the improvement in Oxford City's water supplies was a major concern of both the Paving Commissioners and Local Board and a necessary corollary to the improvements in sanitation and public health carried out by those bodies [see Mr Cubitt's Report to the Commissioners in 1851 and S H Perry's Report to the Local Board in 1884]
the Old City Waterworks situated under Folly Bridge in the parishes of North Hinksey Berkshire and Oxford St Aldates were leased to private individuals until the early 19th century when the City took over responsibility and improvements were made including a new water wheel and steam pumps
in the late 1850s a new site was built in South Hinksey and the site of the old waterworks once again leased out
the Waterworks Acts of 1875, 1885 and 1928 expanded and refined the system
in 1934 the Hinksey works were closed and replaced by new works at Swinford and by 1935 the system supplied water to an area of 113 square miles around the City
the waterworks were managed by the City Council's Waterworks/Water Committee from 1855 until 1967
for further information see Victoria County History of Oxfordshire vol IV pp 354-355