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WATER SUPPLY
I am indebted to Dr. E. Windle Taylor, Director of Water Examination for the
Metropolitan Water Board, for the following report on the condition and supply of
water to the Borough during 1969:—
The supply was satisfactory both as to quality and quantity throughout 1969.
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 your area, but the population supplied direct according to the Registrar-General's
estimates at 30th June, 1969, was 282,080.
No houses were permanently supplied by standpipes.
No artificial fluoride was added, and where the 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-derived water (Southern group of works)
Well water from Deptford, Wilmington, Darenth, Bexley and Merton pumping
stations.
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 in the following
tables.
On account of their hardness content and alkaline reaction the Board's river
and well water supplies are not considered to be 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. Surveys carried out between 1966 and 1968 on
analyses of water from consumers' premises confirmed this statement.
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