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13
Many complaints related to noise occurring late at night and during weekends, and five hundred
and twenty seven of the visits referred to were made outside normal office hours. As in previous
years, a substantial proportion of the complaints were of noise coming from building sites, demolition
and engineering works, and particularly those involving pneumatic drills, compressors and pumps.
It was found that on having their attention drawn to the matter the great majority of the contractors
concerned appreciated the situation and co-operated in seeking and applying noise-reducing
methods, even where some loss of efficiency resulted or hours of working had to be restricted.
Other complaints related to such things as machinery in workshops and factories, garages, motor
repairs, social functions, clubs, parties, noisy neighbours, record players, air conditioning plant and
animals.
Complaints were not always well founded but of the two hundred and forty-seven, two hundred
and twenty-six were found upon investigation to be justified and of these in two hundred and
twenty-five cases the offending noise had been abated or reduced to a reasonable level by the end
of the year. In some instances where the Council had no legal powers amelioration was brought
about by informal action taken by the Public Health Inspectors.
Water
The chief source of a constant water supply throughout the City is from the mains of the Metropolitan
Water Board whose Director of Water Examination has kindly provided the following
information:—
(a) The supply was satisfactory both as to quality and quantity throughout 1966.
(b) (i) The supply was derived from the following works and pumping stations:—
River Thames
New River via Stoke Newington
No new sources of supply were instituted.
(ii) The number of samples collected and the bacteriological and chemical analyses of the
supply from the above sources after treatment are shown in Tables 14 and 15, pages 69
and 70. No fluoride was added, and where the fluoride content is indicated it represents
the naturally occurring fluoride in the water.
(c) The supply being hard in character is not liable to be plumbo-solvent.
(d) All new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine and after a predetermined period of
contact the pipes are flushed out and refilled; samples of water are then collected from these
treated mains; and the mains are returned to service only after results are found to be satisfactory.
The quality control from the Board's laboratories is carried out by means of daily sampling
from sources of supply, through the treatment works or well stations, from the distribution
system, and through to the consumer. Any sign of contamination or any other abnormality is
immediately investigated.
(e) No houses were permanently supplied by standpipe.
(f) There were no changes to the general scheme of supply in the area.
(g) The following additions to the mains in the area took place:—
(i) trunk mains 245 yards of 12" main
86 yards of 15" main
518 yards of 18" main
195 yards of 24" main
(ii) other mains 805 yards"
In the event of a complaint of contaminated public mains water the Metropolitan Water Board is
informed and investigations are made; if necessary samples are taken for examination. Complaints
are few and normally refer to unusual taste—which is often due to temporary superchlorination
following works on the mains.
In common with many of the London Borough Councils, the City Council is in favour of the
Metropolitan Water Board being asked to adjust the fluoride content of the public water supplies to
the optimum amount necessary to prevent dental caries.
Private Water Supplies—Deep Wells
At 31st December, 1966, fifty-nine premises in the City were drawing water from some 75 deep
wells. The water from 68 boreholes is used for drinking and domestic purposes in 54 premises,
from 6 boreholes for emergency or stand-by purposes in 4 premises, and from one bore as feedwater
for heating purposes in one building. In addition there is one building within the City which is
supplied with water for drinking and domestic purposes from a deep well situated in an adjacent
Borough.
Of the 68 boreholes supplying water for drinking and domestic purposes, 19 bores supply water
to 18 premises occupied by Government Departments or Crown Agents, and in these circumstances