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156
WATER SUPPLY.
There is little to be said that is fresh upon the subject of
the water supply of the metropolis. The County Council are
persistent in endeavours to get possession of the Companies'
Undertakings, and to obtain a supply of water from Wales.
Royal Commissions sit and report, and Bills are introduced into
Parliament; but matters still remain in statu quo. The Commission
appointed in 1898, have not yet presented their report
on the reference, which involved the following points :—
(a) Whether it is desirable in the interests of the Ratepayers and Water
Companies that the Undertakings of the Companies should be acquired
and managed either by one Authority or by several Authorities. And
if so, what should be such Authority or Authorities.
(b) If the Undertakings are not acquired, whether additional powers of
control should be exercised by Local or other Authorities, and if so,
what those powers should be.
(c) As to the practicability of connecting any two or more of the different
systems of supply now administered by the eight Metropolitan Companies.
Your Vestry have repeatedly, during recent years, expressed
disapproval of the proposed purchase of the Undertakings
of the water companies by the London County Council,
favouring rather, as an alternative course, the promotion of
legislation, by which a central body, representing the ratepayers
of the whole of the area of supply of the companies,
should be vested with such powers of control and supervision
as would, without necessitating the purchase of the undertakings,
give to the consumers a directing influence in regard
to all schemes for the extension of supply in the future, as
well as statutory powers for regulating the system and manner
of distribution, such as Parliament has, in times subsequent
to the granting of Water Acts, imposed on similar
private undertakings for public purposes.