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Environmental Health
The following is submitted by Mr G E Hayne MAPHI,
MRSH Chief Public Health Inspector
This annual report is coloured by a considerable increase in
work of the section mainly activated by the 1969 Housing
Act together with an effort to carry out a positive survey of
houses in multiple occupation within the borough. However
all the inspections have been partly negated" by an inability
to achieve a full establishment of public health inspectors
at any time during the year. Throughout the twelve months
over 800 working days have been lost due to staff shortages
which when considered with the increase in duties of the
section shows an adverse reflection on the normal work
carried out.
Water supply
All dwellings within the borough are supplied with water
either by the Metropolitan Water Board or the South West
Surburban Water Company. Reports have been received
from both undertakings which indicate that the supplies
are regularly and frequently sampled and that the results
were satisfactory both in quality and quantity. The reports
indicate that the waters supplied have a slight flouride
content which originates from the natural water varying
from 0.15 • 0.28 milligrammes per litre.
A number of samples were taken from domestic supplies
by this department and submitted for bacteriological
examination. Of these 3 were unsatisfactory and further
investigations revealed the cause to be contamination of the
inner parts of the tap from which the sample was taken,
satisfactory results were obtained after the tap had been
sterilized.
Towards the end of the year, following publicity on the
news media, there was an increase in public concern over
metallic contamination of water supplies and a number of
complaints were received concerning abnormal tastes and
odours. Upon investigation no abnormal levels of metals
were detected in the supplies but the tastes and odours
were found to be due to the presence of microfungi in the
supply pipes. This developes when cold water services are
installed in circumstances which permit the water
temperature to rise, i.e. long pipe runs in blocks of flats.
The condition is however quite harmless and not detectable
if the tap is run for a short time before using the water for
drinking.
Swimming baths

The general baths manager carries out tests to determine
the condition of the water but in addition regular checks
have been carried out by this department. These include
measurement of chlorine levels, Ph. values, temperature
checks and bacteriological examination. As a result of the
closer examination of these waters the department prepared
standards of assessment with the agreement of the general
baths manager. This assessment introduced a means of
grading the results obtained which are passed to the general
baths manager.
The details of samples taken from all pools were:—
Grade
I II III IV V Total
Swimming pools 137 7 23 35 3 205
Remedial pool 16 — 2 2 — 20
It will be noted that these figures include samples taken
at the Hydrotherapy Pool, Martindale Road where similar
checks have been carried out. It is reassuring to note that
in small pools such as this where the bathing load is widely
variable such satisfactory results have been obtained.
This was not the case in one small pool operated by the
Director of Education where, following investigation, the
pool has remained out of use, until the necessary
recommendations can be implemented.
Sewerage and sewage disposal
A few isolated premises are still served by chemical closets
or cesspools for which adequate arrangements are made for
the disposal of the contents. Generally I am satisfied that
the sewerage and sewage disposal arrangements for the
borough are satisfactory.
Common lodging houses
There are no premises used for this purpose within the
borough.
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