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The responsibility for appropriate action under this Act has been given to the Works
Committee of the Council.
Fluoridation of Water Supplies
On 30th January, 1963, the Council agreed to ask the Metropolitan Borough's
Standing Joint Committee to support the London County Council in its approach
to the Metropolitan Water Board for the addition of fluoride to water supplies.
As a result of reports in the local Press many letters and papers were received
from residents and others, some asking for more particulars, others objecting.
Many pamphlets were received both for and against fluoridation and in April,
1963, the Ministry of Health published a booklet setting out the salient facts
regarding the matter.
The Health Committee of the Council gave consideration to arranging a debate
on the matter and a meeting was arranged for 15th October, 1963.
Invitations were sent to all doctors and dentists in the Borough and the local
and National Press.
The meeting under the chairmanship of His Worship the Mayor (Councillor
S. M. Atkins, J.P.) was addressed by Dr. A. J. Dalzell-Ward, Medical Director of
the Central Council for Health Education; Mr. W. Stewart Ross, the Chairman of
the Dental Health Committee of the British Dental Association; and Dr. H. M.
Sinclair of Magdalene College, Oxford.
Many questions were asked by the audience and answered by the speakers.
Water Supply
The water supplied to the Borough by the Metropolitan Water Board during
1963 has been satisfactory both in quantity and quality. It is derived from the
River Thames, stored in the Walton and Staines reservoirs and filtered and
chlorinated at Hampton and Ashford Common. The average result of chemical
and bacteriological analyses of water supplied are set out below:—
Chemical Examinations : (Milligrammes per litre unless otherwise stated.)
Hampton Ashford
Common
No of samples 52 52
Ammoniacal Nitrogen 0.165 0.22
Albuminoid Nitrogen 0.076 0.083
Nitrate Nitrogen 3.9 3.9
Chlorides as Chlorine 32 32
Oxygen abs. from Permanganate 4 hrs.
at 27°C 1.22 1.26
Turbidity (Units) 0.3 0.2
Colour 11 11
Hardness (Total) 276 284
Hardness (non-carbonate) 68 66
pH Value 7.8 7.9
Phosphate as P04 1.3 1.3
Silicate as Si02 12 12
Sulphate as SO4 60 60
Magnesium as Mg 5 5
Natural Fluoride as F 0.25 0.25
Surface Active Material as Manoxol O.T 0.08 0.08
Sodium as Na 25 25
Potassium as K. 5.2 5.2
Electrical Conductivity 560 560