The growing town was reliant on natural springs and wells for the provision of water. Some of the wells had, historically, been the cause of spreading diseases through being uncovered. Residents in streets close to the Dockyard had been fortunate to be allowed to use the reservoirs which, strictly speaking, were reserved for Dockyard use, and some houses were provided with butts for the collection of rainwater. Overall, the situation was very unsatisfactory. The members of a Water Committee lobbied hard for the provision of more reservoirs and for water to be channelled from them to water hydrants in the streets. A plaque listing the names of the Chairman and members of that Water Committee can be found on the old waterworks building in the nearby village of Milton, which is believed to be the place where the machinery needed to pump the first mains water supply into Pembroke Dock was housed. Plans for a drainage scheme were put into place at the same time.