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Act, 1891, enables the Council to make a by-law for this purpose, if it should think fit. We therefore
only propose to recommend that the maximum capacity should be increased from two to three gallons,
which would at any rate enable the occupier of any premises to have a three-gallon cistern should he so
desire.
In addition to the above suggested amendment of regulation No. 21 there are a few other amend
ments of the regulations which we think should be made, and which we now submit—
i. The requirements as to the supply of water to water-closets should apply equally to the supply of
water to sinks used for receiving any solid or liquid filth.
ii. By-law 3 made by the Council, under section 39 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, provides
that every person who shall construct a water-closet in connection with a building shall furnish
such water-closet with a cistern of adequate capacity for the purpose of flushing, which shall be
separate and distinct from any cistern used for drinking purposes. We think it necessary that a
regulation shall be made which shall prevent cisterns being brought into use for supplying water for
domestic purposes, or for food for beasts, so long as they directly supply any water-closet or sink used
for receiving any solid or liquid filth.
iii. We also think that in all cases where any premises have a constant water service, there should
be a requirement that one or more taps shall be provided for drawing water used for domestic purposes
from the rising main. We recommend—
That the Local Government Board be informed that, for the reasons given in the foregoing
report, the Council is strongly of opinion—
(a) That regulation No. 21, under the Metropolis Water Act, 1871, should be amended so as to
read as follows—
" Every water-closet cistern or water-closet service box hereafter fitted or fixed in
" which water supplied by the company is to be used, shall have an efficient waste"
preventing apparatus, so constructed as not to be capable of discharging more than
" three gallons of water at each flush."
(b) That the requirements as to the supply of water to water-closets should apply equally to
the supply of water to sinks used for receiving any solid or liquid filth.
(c) That a regulation should be made which shall prevent cisterns being brought into use for
supplying water for domestic purposes, or for food for beasts, so long as they directly
supply any water-closet or sink used for receiving any solid or liquid filth.
(be provided in connection with the rising main for the supply of water for drinking
purposes.
Pollution of the Lea.
The report of the medical officer of health of Hackney contains reference to the pollutions of the
Lea described in the evidence given by Dr. George Turner before the Royal Commission on London
Water Supply, and to pollution of the river in Hackney by effluents from sewage farms, and he
expresses the opinion that the formation of pools of this water in Hackney-marshes will, unless the
water be made freer from pollution, be attended by danger.
Legislation.
The London County Council (General Powers) Act included a provision making it unlawful
without the permission of the Council to erect any building to be used wholly or in part as a dwelling
house or to adapt any building to be used wholly or in part as a dwelling house upon land of which the
surface is below the level of Trinity high-water mark, and which is so situate as not to admit of being
drained by gravitation into an exisiting sewer of the Council. This provision also empowers the
Council by regulations (subject to appeal as provided in the Act), (1) to prohibit the erection of dwelling
houses or the adaptation of any buildings for use as dwelling houses on such land, or any defined area
or areas of such land; (2) to regulate the erection of dwelling houses or the adaptation of buildings for
use as dwelling houses on such land or any defined area or areas of such land; (3) to prescribe the
level at which the underside of the lowest floor of any permitted building shall be placed on such land
or any defined area or areas of such land, and as to the provision to be made and maintained by the
owner for securing efficient and proper drainage of the buildings either directly or by means of a local
sewer into a main sewer of the Council.
A further provision of this Act relating to the prevention of epidemic disease empowered the
Local Government Board to assign to the Council any powers and duties under the epidemic
regulations made in pursuance of section 134 of the Public Health Act, 1875, which they may deem it
desirable should be exercised and performed by the Council. The same section empowered the Local
Government Board, if the board are of opinion that any sanitary authority in whose default the
Council have power to proceed and act under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, is making or is
likely to make default in the execution of epidemic regulations, to assign by order to the Council for
such time as may be specified in the orders such powers and duties of the sanitary authority under the
regulations as they may think fit. The expenses thus incurred by the Council are to be recoverable
from the sanitary authority in manner provided by sub-section 3 of section 101 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891.
Shirley F. Murphy,
Medical Officer of Health.
March, 1895.