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104
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 London 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).
1. (a) The supply was satisfactory both as to (i) quality, and (ii) quantity
throughout 1971.
(b) 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 the analytical
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.
(c) (i) The Board has no record of the number of structually separate
dwellings supplied in your area, but the population supplied
direct according to the Registrar-General's estimates at
30th June, 1971, was 304,410.
(ii) No houses were permanently supplied by stand-pipe.
(d) No artificial fluoride is being added, and where the fluoride content
is indicated in the analyses it represents the naturally occurring
fluoride in the water.
2. (a) The supply was derived from the following works and pumping
stations
River Thames — dervied water from the Thames Valley group.
Well water from Honor Oak Pumping Station.
No new sources of supply were instituted and there were
no changes to the general scheme of supply in your area.
The number of samples collected and the bacteriological and
chemical analyses of the supply from the above sources after
treatment are shown on the attached sheets.
(b) On account of their hardness content and alkaline reaction the
Board's river and well water supplies are shown to be not
plumbo-solvent. It should, however, be appreciated that
all types of water pick up varying amounts of metal from the
material of water piping particularly when it is newly installed;
this applies to copper, zinc, iron and also to lead.