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SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES
Water Supply.
No complaints were received during the year concerning
the purity of the water supply. Every dwelling house in the
Borough is served by a direct water supply from the mains of
the Metropolitan Water Board.
Ventilation of New Buildings.
A number of multiple storey blocks of flats have been
erected in this Borough and this form of housing development
is increasing. It is the practice for buildings of this type to be
provided with mechanical ventilation systems which require to
be tested by the officers of the Public Health Department
before the dwellings can be approved as fit for human habitation.
The testing of these ventilation systems is often a difficult and
complex operation and in order that it should be effectively and
efficiently carried out, the Council authorised the purchase of
appropriate apparatus for the use of the officers responsible for
these duties.
Artificial Lighting of Common Staircases.
The Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, repealed
Section 6 of the Housing Act, 1936 by which local authorities
were empowered to make byelaws, inter alia, for the artificial
lighting of common staircases in houses in multiple occupation.
Following representations on the matter the Metropolitan
Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee expressed the opinion
that these powers should be replaced and at their request the
London County Council included an appropriate clause for this
purpose in the London County Council (General Powers) Act,
1956. Draft model byelaws which had been approved in
principle by the Minister of Housing and Local Government
were submitted to the Public Health Committee for consideration
in November 1957. Although it was reported that little difficulty
had been experienced in obtaining adequate artificial lighting
of such staircases in this Borough, the Council was of the opinion
that it would be advisable to have the powers contained in these
Byelaws and they were therefore adopted.
Water Closet Byelaws.
The London County Council Byelaw relating to the provision
of water closets was superseded by Section 11 of the Housing
Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, which gave local authorities direct