London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
36
Water Supply.
A duty imposed upon the council by the Act relates to the water supply to factories where it is
not obtained from a public main. In such cases the supply must be approved by the council.
In Kensington there are four sets of premises coming within the scope of the Act, all of which
obtain water from artesian wells. In one case the water is drawn from four wells, in another from
three wells, and in the remaining two from one well each, making a total of nine wells in all.
The council decided that samples of water from these wells should be examined at quarterly
intervals. In three of the premises it was found that the samples obtained were satisfactory and
approval has been given ; in the fourth case (indicated in the following tables as " D ") the water
is not uniformly satisfactory and the granting of a certificate is still under consideration.
The results of the examinations made are set out in the following table.
| 10th January, 1938. | 9th March, 1938. | 9th June, 1938. | 5th October, 1938. | 30th January, 1939. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free ammonia | 0.032 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
| Albuminoid ammonia | Nil | Nil | Trace | Trace | Trace |
| Nitrogen as nitrites | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| ,, ,, nitrates | Nil | Nil | Trace | Nil | Trace |
| Chlorine as chlorides | 16.0 | 16.0 | 15.8 | 15.6 | 15.2 |
| Total solids | 74.0 | 77.0 | 77.0 | 76.0 | 77.0 |
| Oxygen absorbed in 3 minutes | 0.005 | 0.009 | 0.006 | 0.006 | 0.003 |
| ,, 4 hours | 0.02 | 0.022 | 0.024 | 0.02 | 0.018 |
| Poisonous metals | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
(ii) Samples collected at premises of B.
| 10th January, 1938. | 9th March, 1938. | 9th June, 1938. | 5th October, 1938. | 30th January, 1939. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free ammonia | 0.018 | 0.06 | 0.02 | 0.003 | 0.032 |
| Albuminoid ammonia | 0.008 | 0.008 | Trace | 0.008 | Nil |
| Nitrogen as nitrites | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| ,, ,, nitrates | Nil | Trace | Trace | Nil | Trace |
| Chlorine as chlorides | 21.0 | 20.0 | 20.8 | 21.1 | 20.5 |
| Total solids | 90.0 | 86.0 | 90.0 | 67.0 | 87.0 |
| Oxygen absorbed in 3 minutes | 0.01 | 0.012 | 0.012 | 0.01 | 0.006 |
| ,, ,, ,, 4 hours | 0.025 | 0.032 | 0.024 | 0.023 | 0.021 |
| Poisonous metals | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
(iii) Samples collected at premises of C.
| 9th June, 1938. | 5th October, 1938. | 30th January, 1939. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free ammonia | 0.07 | 0.03 | * 0.016 |
| Albuminoid ammonia | Nil | Nil | 0.012 |
| Nitrogen as nitrites | Trace | Trace | 0.024 |
| ,, „ nitrates | Trace | Trace | 0.25 |
| Chlorine as chlorides | 18.5 | 18.5 | 6.3 |
| Total solids | 90.0 | 89.0 | 42.0 |
| Oxygen absorbed in 3 minutes | 0.003 | 0.003 | 0.022 |
| 4 hours | 0.012 | 0.006 | 0.122 |
| Poisonous metals | Nil | Nil | Nil |
* 1 his sample consisted of mixed Metropolitan Water Board and well water.
The above results indicate that the samples are free from contamination and are fit for drinking
and all domestic purposes.