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WATER SUPPLY.
The District is chiefly supplied with water by the Sutton District
Water Company, whose mains supply that part of the District on the
north-west side of Brighton Road, and by the East Surrey Water
Company who supply the remainder of the District. A small private
supply serves part of the Old Coulsdon Estate, whilst another private
supply serves the Cane Hill Hospital, Coulsdon, the latter being supplemented
from the East Surrey Water Company's mains as is found
necessary.
In all cases the source of the water supply is from deep wells sunk
into the chalk in various parts of this and neighbouring districts.
During the year the mains of each Company were extended to meet
the housing developments in various parts of the District, and no shortage
of water was experienced.
An increased number of water samples from the chief distributors
in the District was taken during the year both for bacteriological and
chemical examinations, and the reports showed that the waters maintained
their good quality for drinking and domestic purposes. Seven
samples were submitted for chemical and eight for bacteriological
examination. Seven of the latter were satisfactory, but one sample
was reported upon as slightly below the standard desirable for a public
water supply, the total number of bacteria being higher than usual
although coliform organisms were absent from 50 c.c's.
In 1936 a rota was agreed among the local authorities taking the
supplies of the Sutton and District and the East Surrey Water Companies
for taking samples, and this was continued during 1938. By this
arrangement weekly samples of each supply are taken, and any adverse
report is immediately communicated to the remaining local authorities
and to the Company concerned. It is understood that each Company
also collects daily samples for examination. The Companies are
informed each week of the cases of Infectious Disease occurring in the
District.
Sampling is, however, only one form of control, and cannot be relied
upon solely to secure the protection of consumers irrespective of the
frequency with which samples are taken. Undoubtedly in built-up
areas, such as those from which the greater part of the water supplied
in this District originates, the most important factor is continuous
and adequate treatment at the source, the responsibility for which rests
upon the water undertakers.
The method of treatment of the water by the statutory companies
has continued as before. In each case the employment of a form of
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