 There was some leakage but on 10 May 1854 the Woodhead Reservoir was declared complete, with the exception of remedying the leak.To stop the leak, borings had been made, and ash injected under pressure in the hope it would act as a sealant.In 1858, it was concluded that this would not work; the Etherow valley was on multiple fissures relating to a fault that was causing movement in the soft beds of shale underlying the harder rock beneath the valley.