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25
SECTION C
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES
WATER:
The Borough is freely supplied with water from the Metropolitan
Water Board. As this supply is under continuous control no regular
examinations are made of it.
All the premises in the Borough have a piped supply of water
but, in many houses and block dwellings, supplies of drinking
water, as well as water to be used for other domestic purposes,
are obtained from storage tanks Generally speaking it may be
said that these tanks are in good general condition and the
majority of them are satisfactorily covered, and do not require
attention except on rare occasions. Prom time to time inspections
are carried out, mainly on complaint, to ascertain their condition,
and if necessary steps are taken to enforce cleansing and adequate
covering, in accordance with the Council's Bye-laws.
The Metropolitan Water Board give regular information whenever
water supplies to any premises are withdrawn This may be because
the premises have become vacant or because of defects causing waste
of water or of unpaid rates. Investigations are made by the
department, and where appropriate, action is taken to have the
supply reinstated It has occurred on a diminishing number of
occasions and in 1961 only four instances occurred and in each
case the supply was restored.
There are at present only 3 deep wells known not to be fully
sealed in the Borough. These are situate in the premises of
1. Royal London House, Finsbury Square.
2. City Gate House, Finsbury Square.
3. Bovril Ltd., Old Street.
The first two premises mentioned are partly in Crown occupation,
and samples of the water are periodically examined either by this
department or elsewhere, on behalf of the Ministry of Works. That
on the premises of Bovril Ltd., is not in actual use, The number
of water samples examined bacteriologlcally in 1961 was 2. In
addition, one sample was submitted to the Public Analyst for
chemical analysis where lead poisoning was suspected by a tenant.
The water however, was found to be quite satisfactory.