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49
water originates from the lower reaches of the Thames, where river
and sea water intermix. It penetrates into the water-bearing strata
which in areas are at or close to the surface, and thence reaches
the main water reservoir in the chalk under Central London. It is,
of course, initially highly polluted, but under .normal conditions the
pollution is removed by natural filtration as the water passes through
the ground. Occasionally, however, perfect filtration is not achieved,
as is evidently happening at Meux's. Although I think it practically
certain that any pathogenic organisms would be destroyed in the
processing, there is a potential danger which cannot, in my view, be
entirely ignored. I consider that further samples should be taken from
this well. In the other case (Mark Mayhew) the water is reported free
of pollution.
Although water from all but the 5 wells already referred to is
ostensibly used for drinking, I think it right to mention that, in
the course of the visits made by the Council's Inspectors to the various
premises to take samples and gather data for this report, it came to
light that it is in fact sometimes drunk by employees (in some instances
in face of warnings by the factory owners), especially in hot weather
when it is much cooler than tap water.
I would also refer to the figures, given in the list, of rest-levels
and yields. The rest-level, I should explain, is the level to which
the water in the boring returns when pumping is suspended for an
appreciable time, and is therefore an indication of the rate at which
water pumped out is replaced by percolation of fresh supplies from
the adjacent strata. I have, of course, had to rely for these figures
on information supplied by the well owners, and I have grave doubts
about much of it, as most of the firms displayed an ignorance of the
figures, especially of the rest-level. All some of them seemed to know
was that water came up when the pumps were operated. The general
impression gained, however, was that there is a progressive fall going
on in the general water level and in the yield. This is in accord with
facts already well known. A typical case is provided by the Latchmere
Baths, where the four borings formerly provided a supply ample for
all requirements. The yield has now fallen to such an extent that
pumping on two bores is scarcely worth while, and the others are quite
inadequate to meet demands, with the result that their supply has
had to supplemented by increasingly large quantities drawn from
the mains of the Metropolitan Water Board.
It will be noted that in a number of cases there are no arrangements
made by the well owners for the regular examination of the
purity of the water. I shall be referring in more detail to this later
in my report.
(2) Borings Disused, but still Open.
There are three wells coming within this category, viz.:—
Pure Water Co., Ltd., 274/276 Queenstown Road, S.W.8. One
boring. The following information has been obtained from Messrs.
Clayton Bros., Mineral Water Manufacturers, of East Hill, S.W.18,
of which firm the Pure Water Co. is a subsidiary.
The well was sunk in 1897, and from then until 1938 the water
was in constant use for the manufacture of Table waters. It was submitted
to regular chemical and bacteriological examinations, and proved
of consistently good quality. In 1938, however, the yield began to