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127
square foot per hour, which, for all practical purposes, may
be considered as a standard. The average rate of filtration
per square foot of filtering area per hour of the local companies
is West Middlesex, li, Grand Junction and Chelsea, If:
the requirements of the Act in this respect, therefore, are
fully carried out.
The filter beds are formed as follows:—
West Middlesex. Harwich sand, 2ft. 3in.; Barnes sand 1ft. ; gravel screened
to different sizes, and arranged in layers 2ft. 3in. Total thickness 5Jft.
Grand Junction. Harwich sand, 2ft. 6in.; Hoggin, 6in. ; fine gravel, 9in.
coarse gravel, 9in.; boulders, 1ft. Total thickness, 5Jft.
Chelsea. Thames sand, 3ft. 3in. ; shells, See., 3in. ; gravel, 4ft. 6in. Total
thickness, 8ft.
It avails little, however, that the water is well filtered if it
is allowed, as it so frequently happens, to deteriorate in the
cisterns of the consumers through the uncleanly condition of
those receptacles, and the connection of them with the
drains through the medium of "waste.pipes," which the
Companies only have the power to abolish under the provisions
of the fourteenth water regulation.. The remedy no
doubt is a " constant supply;" but as we shall have to wait
for this, I would again urge that the Companies should be
compelled to exercise their powers, or that the Vestries and
District Boards should have co.ordinate authority with the
Companies to enforce the regulations. Meanwhile, the attention
of house.holders cannot be too frequently drawn to the
necessity of such abolition of waste.pipes, and of periodical
cleansing of the cisterns for storing potable water, which,
moreover, should be properly covered to exclude light and
dirt, and so situated that the water may be kept cool in
summer without being in danger of freezing in winter. The
stop valve should be fixed outside the premises to prevent
. Vide, Regulation 14, page, 131.