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Report on Constant Water Supply.
Nottingham—"The supply for 120,000 persons is constant, and is most efficiently given—
invaluable in cases of fires." Derby—" Far more convenient than the intermittent supply."
Durham—" Tho inhabitants of this city have a constant supply of water from the water
company, found to be the most convenient for all parties, and efficient in its operation. The
intermittent system would give great dissatisfaction here." Leeds—" We hope never to
have resort to the intermittent supply again." Glasgow—" We have a daily supply of
20,000,000 gallons among 400,000 persons. It is really and literally constant, and is of
the greatest convenience and advantage to all classes. W e afford a conclusive refutation of
the doctrines propounded by the engineer of the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company."
The Leeds correspondent strongly recommends the serious consideration of Mr. Bateman's
plan of a supply from Wales. Dundee—" Our supply is constant night and day. I never
heard of any inconvenience to company or consumers." Ashton-under-Lyne—"Additional
experience has only more deeply confirmed the opinions as to the importance and economy
of a continuous distribution of water for domestic purposes , by which tanks, ball taps and
turncock's wages are wholly saved, without anything existing in the unlimited supply system
to counterbalance these expenses, except, perhaps, that of laying down larger mainpipes.
Indeed daily experience is establishing in this part of England, that a constant and
unlimited supply is by far the cheapest method of supplying a given number of dwellinghouses
with water; and that the system is not practically attended with that wasteful consumption
of the precious fluid which the term unlimited might seem to imply."
It might be well also to enquire of the townspeople referred to in Mr. Quick's report,
although the evidence seems so good and so strong in favour of the constant supply, that
probably failures, if such should come to light, might be easily explained.
It must, however, be very clearly understood that, under any circumstances, very little
increased supply of water can be got from the present sources. At least a fourth of the
water of the Thames at Hampton or Teddington Lock is now taken from it for the supply
of London. The companies are limited to a daily draw of 100,000,000 gallons; and in
certain seasons, including those when the people need the largest supply of water, the river
does not contain more than four times—sometimes, in dry seasons, little more than three
times—that quantity. Much work, and some contrivance have to be supplied to keep the
river up to its present condition. If much more water should be required, some other
sources will have to be sought.
If London continues to increase as it has done, it must no doubt soon come to this. The
London population is now about three and a quarter millions, and in about forty years it
doubles itself—every year we increase about two in the hundred. If, therefore, we carry
our ideas so far as 1900, we shall probably be between five and six millions of people; and
this may be within the probable existence of some here. London is now supplied, as in
1848, by ten companies. In 1850, they supplied about 40^ million gallons daily; in 1856,
81 millions; in 1865, nearly 100 millions.
The Southwark Company's engineer considers that we should be well supplied with 15
gallons per individual per day; Mr. Hawksley allows 25 gallons ; in Glasgow 45 gallons.
In Liverpool they seem to consider 20 gallons a fair supply, and probably, with "reasonable
care, it would be. Nevertheless, one would have more if he could easily [get it, for stint
111 w a^cr mcans a large number of very grave evils. The profit is very large and the supply