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46
Taking the population estimated by them as being actually
supplied, the quantities consumed per head per day range from
26·71 gallons in the case of the West Middlesex Company to
47·72 gallons in that of the Grand Junction Company; the
average over the whole of the population being 31·19 gallons
per head per day. The report next gives the present sources
from which the water supplied by the Companies are derived.
These are of four kinds, viz.:—(1) the Rivers Thames and Lea;
(2) gravel beds adjoining the main stream of the Thames and
other gravel beds at Hanworth; (3) natural springs; and (4
wells sunk into the chalk or other strata at such points in the
watersheds as may have been selected. The Commissioners
discuss these in the order named. All the Companies, except
the Kent Company, are dependent for some part of their supply
upon water derived either from the Thames or the Lea.
Turning to the question of the "necessities of the future,"
the Commissioners set out in the report the views of the several
Companies who adopted the same term, viz., 40 years, as the
period for which it is desirable to look forward. The following
table gives the figures laid before the Commission by each
Company as to the estimated population and requirements of
their district in 1931 :—
Name of Company.
Estimated
Population in
1931
Estimated
Daily
Supply
per head
in 1931.
Supply
required per
day.
Supply
available per
day.
New River 1,658,000 28· 5 47,250,000 *56,500,000
East London 1,697,000 33· 0 56,000,000 66,000,000
Chelsea 375,000 350 13,125,000 22,000,000
West Middlesex 959·187 28· 0 26,857,236 24,500,000
Grand Junction 584,969 42· 0 24,500,000 24,500,000
Lambeth 1,136,441 25·0 28,411,025 30,500,000
Southwark & Vauxhall 1,215,457 25·0 30.386,425 41,000,000
Kent 900,000 30·0 27,000,000 29,000,000
Total 8,526,054 2973 253,529,686 294,000,000
* Deducting 330,000 gallons of unfiltered water from Hampstead Ponds.