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109
WATER SUPPLY
I am indebted to Dr. E. Windle Taylor, Director of Water Examination,
Metropolitan Water Board, for the following report on the water supplied by the
Board to the Borough of Lambeth during the year:-
"The report relates to the Board's direct supply to the Lambeth administrative
area and its several parts. The information does not relate to private supplies and
supplies from other Water Undertakings (if any).
The supply was satisfactory both as to quality and quantity throughout 1967.
All new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine, after a predetermined
period of contact the pipes are flushed out and refilled; samples of water are then
collected from these treated mains; and the mains are returned to service only after
results are found to be satisfactory.
The quality control from these laboratories is carried out by means of daily sampling
from sources of supply, from the treatment works or well stations, from the distribution
system, and through to the consumer. Any sign of contamination or any
other abnormality is immediately investigated.
The Board has no record of the number of structurally separate dwellings supplied
in Lambeth, but the population supplied direct according to the Registrar General's
estimates at 30th June, 1967 was 338,126.
No houses were permanently supplied by standpipe.
No fluoride was added, and where fluoride content is indicated in the analyses it
represents the naturally occurring fluoride in the water.
The supply was derived from the following works and pumping stations:—
River Thames via Hampton, Walton and Surbiton.
Honor Oak well.
No new sources of supply were instituted and there were no changes to the general
scheme of supply in the area.
The number of samples collected and the bacteriological and chemical analyses of
the supply from the above sources after treatment are shown on tables A and B below.
The Board's river and well sources have not been considered to have a plumbosolvent
action, on account of their hardness content and alkaline reaction. It should,
however, be appreciated that all types of water pick up varying amounts of metal
from piping, particularly when it is newly installed; this applies to copper, zinc,
iron and also lead.