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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bromley 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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35
Average Results of the Chemical and Bacteriological Examination
of the water supply to Bromley during the year 1952.
| Shortlands Well | West Wickham Well | Orpington Well | Thames-derived filtered water (Walton) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Samples | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1714 |
| Ammoniacal Nitrogen | 0.007 | 0.012 | 0.004 | 0.027 |
| Albuminoid Nitrogen | 0.025 | 0.031 | 0.035 | 0.093 |
| Oxidised Nitrogen—Nitrate | 5.4 | 6.1 | 6.9 | 3.7 |
| Chlorides as Cl. | 18.6 | 15.0 | 15.4 | 24.6 |
| Oxygen abs. from Permanganate 3 hrs at 27ºC | 0.19 | 0.15 | 0.05 | 1.05 |
| Turbidity in terms of Silica | — | — | — | 0.2 |
| Colour, m.m. brown 2 ft. Tube Burgess's Tintometer | Nil | Nil | 2 | 12 |
| Hardness (Total) | 282 | 268 | 284 | 256 |
| Hardness (Permanent) | 61 | 33 | 43 | 62 |
| pH Value | 7.6 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.8 |
| Magnesium | 5.8 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 5.5 |
| Silica as Si02 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 |
| Fluorides F. | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.03 | — |
| Conductivity | 450 | 475 | 450 | 475 |
| No. of samples | Plate count (Av. per millilitre) Colonies counted on Agar | Bact. coli. test | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of samples negative in 100 ml. | Average number Bact. coli. per 100 ml. | ||||
| 22ºC (3 days) | 37ºC (20-24 hrs.) | ||||
| Shortlands Well | 273 | 5.7 | 0.5 | 100.0 | Nil |
| West Wickham Well | 253 | — | — | 99.2 | 0.030 |
| Orpington Well | 253 | 896.5 | 35.0 | 100.0 | Nil |
| River Thames water filtered at Walton Works | 3.430 | - | 17.5 | 99.8 | 0.005 |
DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE.
No works of major importance have been carried out during
the year.
CESSPOOLS.
No new premises were erected with cesspool drainage and
no alterations to the drainage system of any other properties on
cesspool drainage have been carried out.
Cesspool emptying is undertaken by the Borough Engineer's
Department upon the request of the householders. During the
year twenty-one individual cesspools were emptied by the
Department.