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28
Medical Officers of Health Annual Report.
the reasons of the great interruption of the supply, which
lasted, in some parts of the district, for upwards of two
months. The report was issued in January of the year
1896, and the conclusions came to were that the Companies
had in many instances in the past laid their
mains at insufficient depth to escape the effects of so long
a frost, and that the communication pipes to the houses
were also laid too near the surface. Already, however,
much has been done to remedy this state of things, and
it is to be hoped that the Companies will persevere in
their efforts in that direction, and will also use their
powers under the "Water Companies' Regulations'' to
compel the service pipes, where a constant supply is
given, to to be laid at a minimum depth of 2½ feet. We
think, however, it would be a most desirable amendment,
of the law to make the Company responsible for service
pipes up to the boundary wall of the premises supplied,
thus putting them on the same footing as the Gas Companies.
Water Companies'
Regulations.
An enquiry was held on the 31st October, by
Col. Ducat on behalf of the Local Government Board as
to proposed amendment of Regulation 21. The enquiry
was petitioned for by the London County Council, and
the object in view was to render legal the use of a larger
flushing cistern than two gallons, which is the present
maximum. It was suggested that the flushing cistern
should "be so constructed as not to be capable of discharging
more than three gallons of water at each flush."
The Board of Works having concurred in the proposal,
one of us attended to give evidence in support of the
proposed alteration. Up to the end of the year no
action had been taken by the Local Government Board
on Col. Ducat's Report.