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Underground Conveniences.
There are at preserrt-five underground conveniences, four of which have accommodation for
males and females, under the charge of the Public Health Committee. They are each under the
immediate supervision of the Inspector in whose district they are situated. There is both w.c.
and lavatory accommodation. They are open from 9 a.m. to 12.30 a.m., and each of them is
provided with one free w.c., the others being charged for. The takings during 1903, were
£436 5s. for w.c.'s, and £27 8s. for lavatories, making a total of £463 13s.
Smoke Nuisances.
176 observations were made of chimneys and shafts, and 56 offences reported to the
Public Health Committee. Fines and costs were inflicted in the following cases : —
Fines.
Costs.
£
d.
d.
s.
s.
Messrs. Gillman & Spencer
2
2
0
0
2
0
5
0
2
0
,, ,,
5
0
2
0
,, ,,
Messrs. Peek Frean & Co.
0
0
2
0
10
0
0
2
0
,, ,,
10
0
Total
£14
10
0
Water Supply.
Owing to the frequent floodings of the Thames valley caused by the excessive rainfall in
1903, the waters supplied to the Metropolis from this source showed frequent signs of grave
pollution.
I drew the attention of the Public Health Committee to the matter first in June, in a
short report. The borough is supplied by three water companies, viz., the Kent, which supplies
a small strip which adjoins the Surrey Commercial Dock and the Borough of Deptford; the
Lambeth, which supplies a small square bounded by Pages Walk, Brandon Street, Bermondsey
New Road and Old Kent Road ; and the Southwark and Vauxhall, which supplies the rest of the
Borough. The Kent water is organically the purest in London, because its source is the deep
wells from the chalk in Kent. The Lambeth and Vauxhall Companies derive their supply from
the River Thames. Owing to the excessive rainfall in 1903 and the consequent flooding referred
to above, the last two waters assumed on several occasions a very peaty aspect, the deep brown
colour being specially noticeable when the swimming baths were first filled.
In the Local Government Board Report for March, 1903, the organic matter was stated
to be chiefly vegetable in origin, and was attributed to insufficient storage.
On the first report to the Committee on the matter, I was instructed to take samples when
advisable, and submit them to the Public Analyst.
During the last half of the year I took three, viz., two from the Southwark and Vauxhall
on July 8th and October 27th respectively, and one from the Lambeth on November 3rd. The
following are the reports of the Public Analyst :—
Sample from Southwark and Yauxhall Co., taken on July Bth, 1903.
Colour in 2 ft. tube pale greenish yellow
Odour none
Suspended matter none
Grains per gallon.
Total solid residue (120 deg. C.) 23.10
Loss on ignition 1.l9
Combined chlorine 1.30
Equal to common salt 2.14
Nitrogen as nitrates 0.18
Nitrites none
Saline and free ammonia 0.003
Albuminoid ammonia 0.010
Oxygen absorbed from permanganate (4 hours at 80 deg. F.) 0.096
Hardness 15.4 degrees
On comparing the above figures with those obtained from the analyses of the
Southwark and Yauxliall Co.'s water made by me some years ago for the late St. Saviour's
District Board of Works, I find this sample to be worse than any I have yet analysed.
Usually this Company's water is free from saline ammonia, whereas now it
contains 0.003 grains per gallon (0.043 parts per million).
The normal albuminoid ammonia is about o.oos grains per gallon, whereas it is
now 0.010 grains per gallon, or 0.l4 parts per million.
Nitrates have increased from about 0 - 08 to 0.18 grains per gallon, and the figure
for oxigen absorbed is also very much higher than before.
In its present condition the water is in my opinion unfit for a public supply.
(Signed) R. Bodmer, F.I.C.
27