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by some 432 residents, obtain water from private wells. The water in these wells is sampled by the
Department every six months and the Council's Bacteriologist's reports for 1964 were satisfactory.
In various properties in the Borough drinking water is derived from private storage tanks supplied
with water from the public mains. A Borough Council Byelaw requires these tanks to protect water
adequately from the risk of contamination and to be cleaned at least twice a year. During the year it
was necessary to require the cleaning of twenty-five tanks.
Upon request, six certificates relating to the provision of a proper and sufficient supply of water in
dwelling houses were issued under the provisions of Section 95 (2) of the Public Health (London) Act,
1936.
Drainage—Alterations and New Buildings.
During the year, 243 drainage plans were approved, of which 33 were in respect of new buildings,
and the public health inspectors made 3,796 visits. No circumstances were found which required legal
proceedings. The Borough Engineer was requested to examine 10 sewer connections and five were
found to be defective and had to be renewed.
The re-drainage scheme begun in 1963 at the premises of the Zoological Society of London, Regent's
Park, which involves laying a 24-inch diameter main drain under Regent's Canal to the London County
Council Middle Level Sewer, is now well advanced and the principal drainage lines have been installed.
When completed the scheme will extend throughout the Zoological Gardens.
Combined Drainage.
Five Orders under Seal were made in respect of combined drainage operations.
Sewerage.
The Borough Council's sewers are controlled and maintained by the Borough Engineer and discharge
into the main drainage system of the London County Council, who are responsible for the disposal of
sewage. The re-laying of the London County Council King's Scholars' Pond Sewer from Swiss Cottage
to Wellington Place is now well advanced. The trunk sewer will eventually join up with the deviated
line at Wellington Place/Cochrane Street. There are no disposal plants in the Borough.
Town Planning.
The Borough Engineer referred to the Department for observation 211 plans submitted to the Council
under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947.
Rodent Control.
There were 201 notifications of rats at premises in the Borough, 4 less than in the previous year, and
reports of mice increased from 314 to 387.
Sewers are treated by the polythene bag system at approximately eight week intervals, the bait
being applied at side entrances only. " Takes " at most points varied little from time to time but
secondary baiting was carried out wherever they were consistently " good ". By these means the
residual number of rats in the sewers is kept to a minimum.
Statistics of rodent control are shown in Table 9, page 34.
Disinfestation.
The insecticide used to rid dwelling houses of bugs is composed of kerosene with 5 per cent. D.D.T.
and 0.1 per cent. pyrethrins, applied as a spray either by hand or under pressure from a motor compressor
according to the circumstances. This treatment is also given for flea and similar infestations
which occur from time to time. During the year, 351 rooms were disinfested and in this connection
the Public Health Inspectors made 245 visits to the 155 premises involved.
Furniture, more particularly that of people removing to fresh accommodation, is dealt with by
hydrocyanic acid gas in specially constructed vans. The Council continued to have this work done by
a contractor and during 1964 the furniture of one family, who were being rehoused, was treated by
this method. In addition 383 verminous articles of bedding were disinfested by steam.
A small steam disinfector situated in the cleansing of persons section of Welfare Centre No. 2 is used
for the treatment of all articles up to the size of a single mattress. Arrangements with the Council of
the Royal Borough of Kensington for articles above this size to be steam treated in their plant at
Shepherd's Bush have continued to work most satisfactorily.
Verminous Persons.
The Department's Cleansing of Persons Baths in Lisson Grove dealt with 449 verminous persons:
adults 238 (men 202, women 36); children 261 (boys 72, girls 189).