London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Hammersmith 1960

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hammersmith Borough]

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29
SECTION F
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BOROUGH
Water Supply.
The water supplied to the Borough by the Metropolitan Water
Board during 1960 has been satisfactory both in quantity and
quality. It is derived from the River Thames, stored in the
Littleton and Staines reservoirs and filtered and chlorinated at Ashford Common and Barn Elms Works. The average results of
chemical and bacteriological analyses of water supplied are set out
below:—

Table: Chemical Examinations:

Chemical Examinations:

No. of samples207
Ammonia Nitrogen0.024 Milligrammes per litre.
Albuminoid Nitrogen0.082 „ „ „
Oxidised Nitrogen—Nitrate4.0 „ „ „
Chlorides as C1.28 „ „ „
Oxygen abs. from Permanganate 4 hrs at 27° C.1.22 „ „ „
Turbidity0.4 Units
Hardness (Total)264 Milligrammes per litre
Hardness (non-carbonate)66 „ „ „
pH Value7.9 „ „ „
Phosphate as PO40.95 „ „ „
Silicate as SiO29 „ „ „
Sulphate as SO458 ,, „ „
Fluoride as F0.25 „ „ „
Magnesium as Mg4 „ „ „
Surface Active Material as Manoxd.0.12 „ „ „

Table: Bacteriological Examinations:

Bacteriological Examinations:

No. of samples1,778
Agar plate count per ml.: 20-24 hours at 37° C.14.4
Coliform count: Per cent samples negative in 100 ml.98.71
E. coli/count: Per cent samples negative in 100 ml.100.00

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No new important extensions of trunk mains, nor changes in
the general scheme of supply have been made during the past year
but 1,303 yards of new mains have been laid. All new as well as
repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine before being brought
into or restored to service.
92 certificates were granted under Section 95(2) of the Public
Health (London) Act, 1936, with regard to newly erected houses
and flats having a proper and sufficient supply of water.
All of the houses in the Borough, numbering some 25,000, are
supplied with water direct from the mains.