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the power possessed by water of dissolving substances being inversely as
its hardness.
But how is such a supply to be furnished 1 There are three sources
only deserving of entertainment; viz. — 1. The Water Companies.
2. Artesian Borings. 3. The River Wandle.
1. If economy be admitted to assume its proper place in the selection,
then the Water Companies on this ground must be excluded from consideration,
for there can be little doubt that this district could supply
itself with water at least l-3rd, possibly I-4 th the expense which is now
paid to companies.
2. A consideration of the geological formation of the soil, of the artesian
springs in existence, and their good quality; the numerous natural springs,
and a river whose origin is near at hand, leads to the conviction that a
supply of water, meeting all the foregoing requirements, could be procured
by artesian boriugs in very numerous parts of the parish. Such a
supply, in addition to the possession of the greatest purity, would not
require filtration, nor if procured at a sufficiently high level (which appears
practicable) steam power for the purpose of its distribution—both matters
of great economical importance.
3. By a reference to the table it is seen that the great impurity of the
Wandle water consists in organic matter; that having undergone filtration
this was dimished 3-5 ths, and that in other respects it closely corresponded
with that of the Southwark and Vauxhall companies. The great amount
of organic matter still possessed by it after filtration is that which existed
in solution, and doubtless due to the presence of sewage. Looking to its
natural qualities, there can be no doubt that on the exclusion of sewage,
by perfection of the main drainage, this river would be capable of furnishing
a water whose quality would equal, and, if procured near its source, far
surpass any now supplied to the metropolis. I have entered rather fully
into this subject because of all the sanitary evils which it will be my duty
to bring before your notice, this probably is the one which can be most
conclusively proved, can be laid before you in the most tangible form, is
most susceptible of a general and uniform remedy, and which can consequently
be most completely and satisfactorily dealt with.
House-drainage.—Water closets.—Cesspools.
Drainage.—Whatever the plan which may be finally adopted for the
general removal of the sewage of the metropolis—whether it be effected
by any of the various schemes of deodorization, having economy for their
main object, or whether it be simply got rid of by a simple and efficient
means, having for its main object the preservation of the public health,
even at the loss of the value of the sewage,* one thing is generally
admitted; viz., that its immediate removal from houses can be effected byno
means so conveniently, economically, and what is most important,
* If l-10th part of the deaths which occur from epidemic disease in the metropolis,
to say nothing of the corresponding amount of sickness, which is at least ten times the
amount, could be prevented by a system of drainage necessitating the entire loss of the
sewage, or of the sum of £400,000, which is said to represent its value, such preservation
of life and health would be paid for at a rate which might be termed literally dirt
cheap, and which would bear no proportion to the mere monetary value of such number
of lives.