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Water Supply.—The Metropolitan Water Board sent eight notices
of withdrawal of water supply to premises. The reason for the action
of the Board in each case was failure to pay water rate.
Water Supply in Tenement Houses.—Power to effect this provision is
given under Section 48 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and
under Section 78 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act,
1907. The number of cases in which this action was taken since 1922
is as follows:—
1922. 1923. 1924. 1925. 1926.
53 36 27 55 44
Artesian Wells.—No fresh wells have been sunk during 1926. It was
mentioned last year that in order to get an adequate supply, the chalk
had to be penetrated to a greater and greater depth, and coincidently
the shallower wells were drying up. This is noted in the case of the wells
which supply the Trafalgar Square fountains. Three wells to supply
the fountains were sunk in 1847. They also supplied water to the Houses
of Parliament, several Government buildings, and Millbank Prison. By
1913, two of the wells were dry because of the fall of the water level.
The third was retained for the exclusive supply of the fountains. Now,
with the further fall of the water level, the Metropolitan Water Board
has been called upon to provide an additional supply.
New Sanitary Construction.—Plans relating to work of this description
numbered 724, of which 110 represented sanitary provisions in entirely
new buildings. The corresponding figures since 1922 are as follows:—
—
1922.
1923.
1924.
1925.
1926.
Plans 468 551 602 658 724
Plans of work in new buildings
included in above
39 73 80 102 110
In 42 instances the plans related to houses wholly or partially being
converted into flats, and in 12 instances to premises in mews being
converted into dwellings of a superior class.
Of the total of plans submitted, 4 were not approved, as the work
proposed did not comply with the by-laws. In 3, the proposals were
withdrawn.
Combined drainage orders were made in 27 cases.
Infringements of the by-laws were reported to the Public Health
Committee in 12 instances in respect of failure to give notice of
intention to construct or to deposit plans. Nine builders were cautioned
and three were summoned in respect of these offences and were
convicted, fines and costs amounting to £9.
(6026)Q E