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between our staffs and weekly conferences are held between the Scientific Adviser and the
Divisional Engineer (Main Drainage), together with their senior officers, to discuss
analytical results, operational practice and research projects.
In addition to laboratory work undertaken to obtain the best efficiency from the treatment
plant, full attention was given to matters of safety. For example, the utilisation of
sludge gas involved daily safety tests at all potentially hazardous points in the digestion
plant, power house and domestic boiler room.
Trade waste discharges
A considerable expansion of the staff and laboratory facilities has been effected to cope
with the increased number of samples to be expected from the implementation of the
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1962. Estimates of the total of samples
point to a yearly figure of about 25,000.
A scheme for streamlining the examination of samples has been put into operation and a
series of investigations on the methods to be used have been carried out. This work has
been of use in the training of new members of the staff. The numbers of samples increased
towards the end of the year and the final total was 4,027. This included a number of samples
from some of the larger industrial premises for rating under the provisions of the 1962 Act.
Of the samples taken for control purposes the percentage reported as unsatisfactory
has again shown a decrease; this may in part be due to ' dilution ' by samples taken for
rating purposes only, but it bears out the trend shown since 1960. It would, therefore, appear
that the system of regular sampling of trade waste discharges is having the desired effect
of reducing the number of discharges likely to cause trouble in the sewers and at the sewage
treatment works.
Drinking water
To ensure that the water supplies to Council establishments are of satisfactory quality,
the Scientific branch carries out regular monthly inspections and samplings at those
establishments where supplies are drawn from private wells. The water from these wells
is chlorinated before use by means of automatic dosing plant. Samples of both the raw
well waters and the treated waters are taken for bacteriological and chemical examination.
If pollution is suspected check samples are taken at frequent intervals.
At the request of the hospital management committees, the well supplies at some of the
hospitals formerly under the control of the Council have continued to be regularly
examined.
Because of the excellent system of drinking water examination of the Metropolitan
Water Board, samples are not examined direct from mains supplies but water from storage
tanks is tested in many institutions to check the internal system and to ensure that tanks
are periodically cleaned.
Air pollution
The Council continued its long-standing co-operation with the Department of Scientific
and Industrial Research in investigating the incidence of air pollution, by maintaining
regular observation of the degree of pollution of the atmosphere over the county.
The average figure for sulphur dioxide has not shown much change over recent years,
when seasonal fluctuations of temperature are taken into account, but in the case of smoke
there has been a marked reduction reflecting the progress made by the metropolitan
boroughs in implementing the Clean Air Act. By the end of the year 40 per cent, of
domestic premises in the county were using approved fuels under local Smoke Control
Orders and in many other premises there was voluntary acceptance of the requirements
of the Act.
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