Thirlmere reservoir is the subject of a special lecture at the University of Cumbria's Ambleside campus this afternoon.
Staff from United Utilities will deliver the presentation on the Victorian-era reservoir which has provided water for Cumbria, Lancashire and Manchester for more than 140 years.
The water supplier has £300million plans for a new pipeline from it - the job will create 400 jobs over four years when construction starts in 2017.
Today's lecture is on at 4pm and is free and open to the public.