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10
SECTION II.
THE WATER SUPPLY OF LONDON.
The Report of the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into
the water supply of the metropolis was presented during the past
year. The report is very favourable to the continuance of the
existing systems of supply from the rivers Thames and Lee.
As regards quantity of water, the Commissioners are satisfied
that the resources of the two rivers, supplemented by deep wells in
the chalk, may be rendered available to supply no less a quantity
than 420 million gallons daily. This is a quantity sufficient to
supply 35 gallons per head daily to a population of 12 million persons,
which latter number is about three-quarters of a million in
excess of what the total population of greater London, together with
the outlying parts of " water London," will have become in 1931,
even if the ratio of increase in the decennial period from 1881 to
1891 is fully maintained.
On the very interesting and much debated question of the quality
of the waiter and its suitability for potable purposes, the Commissioners
express themselves as strongly of opinion that the water as
supplied to the consumer in London, is of a very high standard of
excellence and of purity, and that it is suitable in quality for all
household purposes. " Having regard," say the Commissioners,
" to the experience of London during the past 30 years, and to the
evidence given to us on the subject, we do not believe that any
danger exists of the spread of disease by the use of this water, provided
that there is adequate storage, and that the water is efficiently
filtered before delivery to consumers."
It is a fitting commentary on the above quoted dictum of the
Royal Commission, to refer to the fact quoted year after year in
the reports of the Official Water Examiner (as mentioned in my
former annual reports) that the storage capacity of some of the
London water companies is very deficient—this deficiency obliging
the water companies involved, to attempt, during prolonged floods,
to filter a very turbid and polluted water—an attempt so unsuccessful
as to result in the delivery to their consumers in London, of a
water which has been at times officially condemned as unfit for
human consumption.
The Commissioners recommend that the Thames and Lee Conservancy
Boards should have larger powers entrusted to them to
prevent pollution of the streams under their control, and that the
powers of the former Board to prevent pollution, should be extended
to the whole course of the tributaries into the main stream, and
should not be limited to a distance of 10 miles from the main river,
as at present. The staff engaged in inspection should be very
largely increased, the necessary funds for this purpose being provided
by the water companies. The Commissioners also recommend
that the public water-examiner should be empowered to make