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42
The Commissioners recommend that the inspection of the
River Thames should be more thoroughly done than it is at
present, and that increased provision should be made, in the
form of reservoirs for avoiding the taking in of water while the
river is in a state of flood. Of all the sites that have been
suggested to them as suitable for reservoirs they consider none
in the Thames Valley so reliable as can be found upon the
London clay, only a short distance above the Hampton intakes.
From the Thames, when required, may be taken 300,000,000
gallons a day; from the Lea, 52,500,000 gallons; from wells in
the Lea Valley, 40,000,000 gallons; and from wells in the Kent
Company's district, 27,500,000 gallons; besides a further considerable
quantity, should it ever be wanted, from the Valley of
the Medway and the country to the east of it.
The Commission, as might be expected, deal with the
question broadly, without committing themselves to details.
It would be going beyond the duty of useful criticism
to discuss some of the interesting scientific, though minor,
points upon which the Commissioners adopted views adverse to
those of some of the distinguished witnesses who appeared
before them. There are, however, in the enquiry two points
which rather hang upon one another, and about which we wish
the Commission had told us a little more. These are :—
(1) The effect which might be expected upon the Thames
of taking double the present quantity of the water
from the river during periods of drought.
(2) The amount of storage space to be provided above the
intakes in order to make the taking of any more of this
water unnecessary.
*
The conclusion of the Commission is most distinct that
there is ample supply of water derivable from the Rivers
Thames and Lea, from wells in the chalk in the Lea Valley,
and also in the district of the Kent Water Works Company,