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11
Water.—Although water for domestic purposes is obtained from private wells at a small number
of blocks of flats and offices, the chief source of a constant supply throughout the Borough is from
the mains of the Metropolitan Water Board. In no case was it necessary to draw the attention of
the Board to the quality or quantity of the water, but three complaints of dirty or contaminated
water at separate premises were received during the year. The trouble in two instances appeared to
be due to a dirty storage tank, and no further complaints were made after the tanks had been cleansed.
In the third case the supply was found to be satisfactory. In accordance with the provisions of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1936, the Board notified three instances where water had been cut off
in occupied premises, in one case for non-payment of rates, in another where waste of water had been
reported, and in the third for use of irregular fittings. In all the supply was reinstated, in one instance
after service of notice.
Further examinations of the private well waters from the twelve borings still in use (eight in full
operation and four for emergency purposes only) were made by the Council's Bacteriologist, and
these indicated that since the last survey, made in 1947 at the request of the Ministry of Health,
there has been no appreciable change. The reports for 1953 were generally satisfactory and no
pathogenic contamination was found. It is the practice of the Department to keep the wells supplying
water for drinking purposes under observation and sample their waters every six months.
Eight certificates relating to the provision of a proper and sufficient supply of water in dwelling-houses
were granted under section 96 (2) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, in respect of newly-erected
and rebuilt premises, including three municipal blocks of flats.
Drainage.—The number of plans approved was 316, of which thirty-six related to new buildings,
including two Borough Council housing schemes of four blocks comprising seventy-two flats. At the
request of the Medical Officer of Health the drains and/or sewer connections of thirty premises were
examined by the staff of the Borough Engineer's Department. In eight cases defects were discovered
which called for remedy ; in the remaining twenty-two instances the sewer connections were found
to be serviceable and fit for continued use. The drainage inspectors made a total of 3,733 visits.
In the case of two separate blocks of flats application was made to discharge sink wastes, without
trap ventilating pipes, into stack pipes in direct communication with the drain (the so-called " single
pipe " system). This practice is permitted in many metropolitan areas, but as the arrangement is
still in the experimental stage under the observation of the Government Building Research Station
at Garston, Herts., and, moreover, does not comply with the Drainage Bye-Laws of the London
County Council, permission to carry out the work on the lines suggested was given only on condition
that the applicants would accept full responsibility should the operation of the system prove
unsatisfactory. The County Council were fully informed of the circumstances in each instance.
Combined Drainage.—Nine orders under seal for combined drainage were issued.
Ventilation of Sewers.—A working party of representatives of the London County Council and the
Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joing Committee submitted an interim report on the causes of
complaints of offensive emanations from sewers and possible ways of improving conditions. It was
considered that adequate ventilation, preferably by a greater number of small ventilators father
than by a few large ones, was needed to disperse the concentrations of gases which are mainly
responsible for emanations. The working party suggested that this ventilation should be afforded
by way of the soil-pipes of the drainage systems of suitable premises and proposed that, as an
experiment, the intercepting chambers in the drains of the county council and borough council
properties should be slightly altered for this purpose. The St. Marylebone Borough Council felt that
experiments on the lines proposed would be too indiscriminate and inadequate to produce effective
results and might possibly cause nuisance on the municipal properties involved. In their opinion
it would be better to ventilate selected lines of sewer in which there are known to be high concentrations
of gases by seeking the co-operation of the owners of suitably disposed premises draining into those
sewers and, where desirable, of neighbouring authorities, in giving effect to the working party's
suggestions. These views were subsequently conveyed by the Standing Joint Committee to the working
party for consideration.
Building Licences.—During the year eighty-seven applications for building licences were referred
to the Department by the Borough Engineer for observations in relation to proposals concerning
drainage, ventilation and underground rooms, and also in cases where work had been called for by
sanitary notices.
Public Houses.—Sanitary Accommodation.—The special survey of licensed premises carried out in
1949 revealed the standard of sanitary accommodation to be unsatisfactory in fifty-one of the 133
premises. Since then there has been a steady improvement and at the close of the year 1953 only