London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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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
Hillingdon 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
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Environmental Health
GENERAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Hillingdon is one of 32 London Boroughs created by the London Government Act, 1963
and the administrative Borough came into being on 1st April, 1965. The Borough is situated on
the north west border of the Greater London area, and has a total area of 42.5 square miles. There
is extensive urban development but approximately half of the Borough is designated Green Belt
with a predominantly rural character. The Borough is 12 miles from north to south and 4 miles
from east to west. It contains almost the whole of London (Heathrow) Airport as well as Northolt
aerodrome. The area is bisected by the M.4 motorway and the A.40 major arterial road as well
as a number of major rail links. In addition to providing housing for those who work in Central
London the area provides significant local industrial development, particularly in Hayes and
Uxbridge. Land in the southern part of the Borough, especially associated with the canal network
is being reclaimed and imaginatively developed.
The Borough is supplied with water from three water companies: Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water Company, who supply the major part of the Borough, Colne Valley Water Company, and South West Suburban Water Company, who supply part of Harlington. The results of chemical analysis of water from these three supplies are as follows:
| Colne Valley Water Co. | Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water Co. | South West Suburban Water Co. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear and bright | Clear and bright | Clear and bright |
| Reaction (pH) | 7.3 | 7.5 | 7.6 |
| Dissolved solids | 393.2 | 334.0 | 478.8 |
| Suspended solids | — | — | 0.1 |
| Chlorion | 34.0 | 20.0 | 39.6 |
| Free and Saline Nitrogen | — | — | — |
| Albuminoid Nitrogen | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| Nitrate nitrogen | 1.20 | 0.40 | 0.75 |
| Nitrite nitrogen | — | — | — |
| Oxygen demand | 0.1 | 1.90 | 1.05 |
| Biochemical oxygen demand | 0.12 | 0.24 | 0.23 |
| Total Alkalinity (CaCO3) | 180.00 | 238.00 | 218.00 |
| Lead (PB) | Not detected | Not detected | Not detected |
| Zinc (ZN) | Not detected | Not detected | Not detected |
| Copper (CU) | 0.15 | Not detected | Not detected |
Fluoride content of water supplies:
South West Suburban Water Company 0.262 p.p.m.
Colne Valley Water Company 0.075 p.p.m.
Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water Company 0.25.1.4 p.p.m.
The variation in fluoride content of the water supplied by the Rickmansworth and Uxbridge
Valley Water Company is due to the fact that one of the wells supplying water to the Borough
has a naturally high fluoride content.
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