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at the Board's laboratories.
The water supply to the borough has been satisfactory both in quality and quantity
during 1966. No fluoride was added, there being a small amount of fluoride naturally
present in the supply.
Immediate action is taken in respect of any form of contamination revealed by inspection
or analysis. All new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine and the water
subsequently checked as to quality, before the structures are restored to service, No
houses are permanently supplied by standpipe.
There are 19 deep wells in the borough used for industrial purposes. Bacteriological
and chemical analyses of water from these wells are made periodically and the results
reported to this department.
The number of instances where the water supply to premises was reinstated or repaired
following action taken by the department was 128 and the Board was notified on 28 occasions
where wastage of water was taking place. Notifications were received from the Board on
27 occasions of intention to withdraw the supply from premises because of non-payment
of rates.
The Council resolved in favour of fluoridation of the water supply. However, in
this respect councils in the Greater London area do not have overall control of the water
supplies to their boroughs which are provided by the metropolitan and other water boards.
THE CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR, REPORTS:
This year has not been notable for new legislative measures. Those introduced
relate mostly to food and, in addition to a spate of official certificates concerning
imported meat and meat products, include revised standards for butter, salad cream
and colouring matter in food and, finally, a measure calculated to improve conditions
where food is sold from stalls, viz. the Food Hygiene (Markets, Stalls and Delivery
Vehicles) Regulations 1966. It has long been felt that standards of food hygiene
for stalls in street markets should not be set lower than those for food premises.
When unwrapped food is sold from stalls in crowded, muddy or dusty streets the risk
of contamination is obviously greater and it cannot be said that the hygienic practice
of stall holders is higher than that of shop-keepers; indeed, a general impression
is that they are much lower. One effect of the new regulations is to extend to all
businesses selling open food the requirements to screen stalls, provide water supply
and washing facilities.
Food traders have been advised by circular of the requirements of the regulations
and the subject has been discussed with representatives of traders' associations.
So far reactions are somewhat mixed and although the need for general improvement is
70.