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(e) (i) The Board has no record of the number of structurally
separate dwellings supplied in your area, but the population
supplied direct according to the Registrar General's
estimates at 30th June, 1966, was 231,590.
(ii) No houses were permanently supplied by standpipe.
Other observations
(f) There were no changes to the general scheme of supply in
your area.
(g) There were additions of 3,769 yards of mains in your area".
Underground Water Supplies (Wells).—In August, 1947, at the
request of the Ministry of Health, a survey of underground water
supplies was made and the table accompanying my Report for 1965
gave details insofar as they were known to the department at that
time. In all, 55 wells are listed, of which only two are used for the
supply of water for drinking purposes. Of the remaining 53 wells, 19
are used for commercial purposes and 34 disused.
As far as this Borough is concerned the two wells providing
drinking water are properly supervised and have shown no sign of
deterioration.
Fluoridation of Water Supplies.—In recent years dental decay
has increased especially among the younger age groups. On an
average, a five-year old child has at least 5 decayed teeth and, in
fact, at the age of eleven only one child in every hundred has perfect
teeth. Modern research has discovered that a minute quantity of
fluorine assists the formation of healthy teeth and reduces the
incidence of decay.
In Circular 15/65, the Minister stated that he considers fluoridation
an established and well proven public health measure conferring
benefits to dental and, in consequence, general health, greatly
exceeding the cost of its introduction. Moreover, he is convinced
that it is completely safe and he hopes therefore that all local
authorities will take steps to make arrangements for the addition of
fluoride to public water supplies.
This Council is one of 26 local health authorities served by the
Metropolitan Water Board who support the fluoridation of water
supplies as a dental caries preventive measure. Unfortunately, a