View report page

58
of 300 to 600 feet before a sufficient supply can be obtained. As these
borings increase in number, a greater and greater depth has to be reached
as the more superficial layers of underground water at 300 to 400 feet
become exhausted by the withdrawals from existing borings. In certain
cases it is a condition that an alternative supply from the Board's mains
is available if required.
In 1921, the then Medical Officer of Health reported the existence of
15 such wells in Westminster of varying depth between 300 and 500 feet.
Since then deep wells have been or are now being sunk in connection
with the following buildings:—
Aldwych House; Bush House (2); Messrs. Cook's, Berkeley Street;
28, Brook Street; Sun Life Office, Cockspur Street; Imperial Chemical
Industries, Grosvenor Road ; 112/114, New Bond Street (2); 87/91, New
Bond Street and 333, Oxford Street; Grand Buildings, Northumberland
Avenue; Grosvenor House, Park Lane (3 borings, 300 to 400 feet
unsuccessful); Dorchester House, Park Lane; Messrs. Gamages, Marble
Arch; Devonshire House, Piccadilly; Nos. 14 and 137, Regent Street;
New Cinema, Wilton Road.
The most recent to obtain a supply is the London Electric Railway
Building, over St. James's Park Station. The depth of the two wells is
500 feet and they provide a supply which is stored in tanks of a capacity
of over 127,000 gallons. The analysis shows the water to be of a
high degree of organic and bacterial purity, and suitable for drinking
and domestic purposes.
The Officers of the Department are at the present time engaged in
investigations with regard to these wells.
Public Swimming Baths.—The question of the possibilities of infection
from public baths and the methods of purifying the water received much
public attention in the autumn. This resulted from a report issued by
the Ministry of Health. The report under the joint authorship of Messrs.
E. A. Sandford Fawcett, H. T. Calvert and J. Alison Glover, investigated
the methods of purification at present in use and made certain
recommendations chiefly in regard to the prevention of contamination of
the water by the persons and clothing of bathers.
For some years, the City Council's Swimming Baths have been provided
with mechanical filtration plants. The whole of the water is "turned
over" or passed through the filters twice a day. The process of filtration
is continuous. By this means, all dirt and germs are removed from the
water. In addition, a certain amount of chlorine is added to the water
in order to keep it free from germs. The processes, filtration, heating