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245
The usual quarterly samples of water, taken from the Southwark
and Vauxhall and Lambeth Water Company's supplies in
various parts of the parish, have been submitted for analysis
during the year.
During the latter part of the year 1895 the Vestry decided to
transfer the supervision of the construction of drainage to new
buildings from the Works to the Public Health Department. As
this is the first completed year this work has been in operation,
it may be desirable to lay before the Vestry a few facts in relation
thereto. During the year no less than 8,834 inspections have
been made by the Drain Inspector of new works in progress.
These inspections do not include those made by the Chief Inspector.
The number of drains tested was 1,560, and the number of
premises at which the whole of the drains and sanitary arrangements
have been completed in accordance with the Vestry's
requirements is two hundred and sixty-six. The imposition of
this extra duty upon the Health Department has considerably
increased its responsibilities, at the same time it is very necessary
that the work in question should be under the control of the
Department, as the bye-laws of the London County Council
have to be administered by the Officers of the Health
Department, and Section 48 of the Public Health (London)
Act provides for a certificate to be given in respect of the water
supply for all new houses erected after the 1st January, 1892.
Since the work has been transferred to the Department, every precaution
has been taken that the Bye-Laws and the Act itself shall
be fully complied with, and although at the first great difficulty
was experienced owing to the fact that buildings in course
of erection were in all stages of progress, after an inspection
of the whole of the works then in progress had been made, the
various difficulties were overcome, and all the drains of the
buildings since erected have been executed in such a manner as to
comply with the Bye-Laws, and a greater standard of efficiency of
work done by the builders is gradually being obtained. It was
formerly the practice in the testing of drains to give only a