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83
Water
The resident population of 86,550 in some 30,800 dwellings receive
water from the Metropolitan Water Board's mains or from deep wells.
At 31st December, 1963, 76 deep wells were in use. From 69 of
these wells the water is used for domestic purposes. Of the remainder,
six are used for standby only and one in case of fire.
During the year the use of two wells situated at 26-40 Victoria Street,
S.W.I, was discontinued; these wells had previously served Yickers House
and No. 8 Broadway, S.W.1.
During 1963, 112 samples of water from wells in the City were submitted
for examination; satisfactory reports were received of 80
bacteriological examinations and 32 chemical analyses.
Fluoridation of Water
In 1962, the St. Marylebone Borough Council drew the attention of
the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee to the results
which had been published of a five-year study of the effect of artificial
fluoridation of water supplies on the incidence of dental caries in children
which showed that the effectiveness, safety and practicability of fluoridation
as a preventive measure against dental decay had been established.
In view of a statement by the Minister of Health that he would
approve local authority schemes to add fluoride to water supplies, the
Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee asked constituent
Councils to indicate whether or not they were in favour of the Metropolitan
Water Board being asked to introduce fluoridation of their water supplies.
After full consideration of the matter, the City Council decided that
the Standing Joint Committee should be informed that the Westminster
City Council favoured the Metropolitan Water Board being asked to
adjust the fluoride content of the water supplies of the area to the best
concentration for the protection of children's teeth against dental decay.
Subsequently, in June, 1963, it was learned from the Metropolitan
Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee that all 29 constituent councils
within the County of London had indicated their agreement on the
introduction of fluoride into London's water supply. When this information
was transmitted to the Metropolitan Water Board, the Board replied
that as there had been no general request by local health authorities in
the wider area covered by the Board, the Board did not consider that the
time was opportune for it to decide policy on this important issue.
Later, in June, 1964, the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint
Committee decided to ask the London County Council, as local health
authority, to approach the Metropolitan Water Board and, should the
County Council think it appropriate, to seek a meeting with the Minister
of Health with a view to securing the artificial fluoridation of water
supplies by the Board at an early date.