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15
out during the four previous years. Of the water chieflyderived
from the River Lea, that supplied by the New River
Company contained, in every case, as usual, less organic
matter than that present in the water of the East London
Company, which was in this respect, on the average, equal to
the best of the Thames waters. The water of the New
River was found to be clear and transparent on 10 occasions
out of 12, and that of the West Middlesex on all 12
occasions. The average proportion of organic matter, in a
given quantity of water, was stated to be, West Middlesex
3.1, New River 1.6. The hardness of water, due to the
presence of bi-carbonite of lime in solution, was found to be
more in the New River than in that of the Thames, due to
the fact that a large portion of the former Company's water
is pumped up from deep wells in the chalk.
I am,
Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
EDMUND GWYNN, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health.