London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Tower Hamlets 1972

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tower Hamlets, London Borough]

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Ownership of the sites dealt with was as follows:-
Sites requiring Sites dealt
action with
Greater London Council 69 45
Borough Council 14 3
Private Ownership 10 8
In 10 cases where the owners were not traced or who defaulted the work
was carried out by the Council's contractor, and the cost made a charge on
the 1and..
WATER SUPPLY
The domestic water supply in the borough is supplied by the Metropolitan
Water Board. The supply to the area is derived from the Rivers Thames and Lea,
and is not piumbo-so1vent. Daily samples of the water are subjected for quality
control to regular routine chemical and bacteriological examination at the
Board's laboratories.
The water supply to the borough has been satisfactory both in quality and
quantity during 1972. No artificial fluoride was added and where fluoride is
indicated in the analyses it represents the naturally occuring fluoride in the
water.
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 18 deep wells in the borough in use.
The Metropolitan Water Board was notified on 33 occasions where wastage of
water was taking place. Notifications were received from the Board on 48
occasions of intention towithdraw the supp1y frompremises becauseof non-payment
of rates.
In October 1965 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 supplied to their boroughs which is
provided by the Metropolitan and other Water Boards.
Section 23 of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1967 empowers
the Council to carry out work and recover the reasonable expenses incurred
thereby to secure that the supply of water to a building is restored by the
statutory water undertakers where such supply has been disconnected by reason
of the defective state of the supply pipes etc. The Medical Officer of Health
is authorised by the Council to exercise its powers under this enactment in
appropriate cases.
WORKS iN DEFAULT
Works were carried out by the Council on 38 occssions during the year in
default of persons on whom notices were served requiring the execution of works.
They comprised 28 instances of failure to comply with notices served under
Section 17, Public Health Act, 1961 regarding choked drains, and 10 instances
of failure to comply with notices served under Section 4 of the Prevention of
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