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The hoses of rubber lined canvas, when not in use are coiled up and hung in specially constructed
boxes at convenient points within the docks. When in use particular care is taken that
the hoses do not sag into the dock water and in the transference from the ship to the shore at no
time do they come into contact with the dock water. If this should happen the hoses are
thoroughly cleansed and flushed with fresh water before being used again.
In spite of all the precautions mentioned above, the standard of drinking water supplied to
vessels in this Port did not always attain the standards of Class I and Class II of the classification
of water suggested by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Housing and Local Government
in their publication "The Bacteriological Examination of Water Supplies" (No.71). Consequently
a determined effort was made from the early part of the year to rectify this position.
A draft "Code of Practice" was submitted to the Port of London Authority covering details
of the equipment, watering points and supply operations generally. The P.L.A. reacted very
favourably to this by adopting the recommendations as far as practicable, and the routine sampling
of the drinking water was accordingly increased.
The reward has justified the sustained efforts. Suspicious points of supply have been
steadily eliminated and the bacteriological standard has reached the desired'satisfactory'
objective to the extent that almost all samples drawn during the latter part of the year qualified
as 'excellent'.
There is ample reason to assume that the high standard now achieved will be fully maintained,
especially when considering the adoption of the "Code of Practice" which is reproduced
below
The supply of fresh water from shore to ships
SUGGESTED CODE OF PRACTICE
Equipment
All components should be kept clean and maintained exclusively for this purpose.
It should be kept in a properly appointed store and transported to and from the watering
point in a suitable and covered truck.
No other equipment than that of the Port of London Authority should be used for supplying
fresh water.
All hoses should be lined with rubber internally.
Every precaution should be taken to preserve the clean condition of the hose during the
watering operation.
Those components taken to the watering point and not required should be left in the
truck.
Watering Points
These should be clearly identified by a number at the site and the hydrant-pit cover
given a durable and conspicuous coat of paint.
The permanent hydrant-pit covers should be watertight and, when the hydrant is being
used, a closely fitted temporary cover should be available to allow for a standpipe and to
shelter the hydrant-pit.
All hydrant-pits should be effectively drained, rendered with a smooth and light-coloured
surface, and always kept in a clean condition.
The hydrant discharge should always be effectively capped when not in use.
Operation
Connections at the hydrant and on the ship should be supervised by an authorised
officer of the Port of London Authority.
Standpipes should be used at the hydrant and hoses kept clear of quay and dock water.
All connections at the ship must be made in order to avoid any possibility of backsyphonage
from the ship installation to the shore mains supply.
In any circumstances where a closed-connection must be made on the ship, an effective
non-return device should be incorporated in the supply equipment to safeguard against
back-syphonage.
The water supply equipment should always be adequately flushed through before allowing
the supply to enter the ship's filling lines.
As far as practicable, the supply of fresh water should not be left unattended by an
authorised person.
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