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66
WELL WATER SUPPLY IN THE CITY.
The investigation into the character of the water as obtained from wells sunk in
the City has been continued during the year.
Three separate City buildings have been added to the already large number
that derive their supply of this necessary element from this source, and samples of
the water from the wells sunk within their precincts have been taken and submitted to
the Public Analyst with satisfactory results.
SMOKE NUISANCES.
Thirteen instances of smoke nuisances were reported during 1913; the service of
the usual form of notices upon the offenders resulted in the abatement of the nuisance
in all cases, and there has been no occasion to take further action.
As in recent years the nuisance from "black'' smoke (the existence of which has
to be proved before a prosecution can be initiated) is much less than in former years,
but annoyances from the improper burning of refuse and from low terminals of
chimnies in relation to more lofty buildings occasionally arise, and require the attention
of your staff.
During the year, an improvement in the method of recording observations of smoke
nuisances has been effected, and instead of your officers attempting to note nine
different varieties of smoke emitted during an indefinite time, a simple diagramatic form
of note-book has been devised, by which a graphic record is made, showing details of
the density of the smoke every 15 seconds during one hour's observation.
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION.
One of the first subjects in connection with the Health of the City which forcibly
arrest attention is the question whether the air we breathe be reasonably pure.
Although the continuous emission of black smoke in the City is practically a thing of
the past, there undoubtedly appears to be at times much unnecessary dirt, with resulting
loss of light, from the suspension in the upper atmosphere of smoke and the products of
combustion, the result probably of the thousands of chimneys of the private houses of
greater London.
The loss of our full quota of life-giving light and sunshine is a very serious matter,
but is only indicative of a portion of the loss to health and pocket. Incalculable damage
must accrue to the respiratory organs of our City workers from this source, to say
nothing of the annoyance and loss from the palpable dust and "blacks" deposited.
With the concurrence of your Sanitary Committee, a critical examination of the air
in the City—in conjunction with the Committee for the Investigation of Atmospheric
Pollution appointed at the International Exhibition and Conference, London, 1912—is
proposed to be effected during the coming year, and is expected will be productive of
much useful data.