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SANITARY CONDITIONS.
HOUSING.
The total number of houses inspected during 1942,
under the Public Health or Housing Acts was 488, the number of
inspections for this purpose being 496. No houses were found
to be in a state so dangerous or injurious to 'health as to be
unfit for human habitation, but 418 were found not to be in all
respects reasonably fit for human habitation. As a result of
informal action 425 were rendered fit.
Proceedings under Sections 9, 10 and 16 of the
Housing Act 1936 led to the service of 3 notices which resulted
in all 3 houses being rendered fit by the owners, while 33
notices served under the Public Health Acts resulted in 27
houses having their defects remedied by the owners and 3 by the
local Authority in default of the owners.
No proceedings under Sections 11, 12 or 13 of the
Housing Act, 1936, were taken.
Four new cases of overcrowding were reported during
the year but a similar number were relieved, 34 persons being
involved. At the end of the year 3 dwellings remained
overcrowded, 6 families and 23 persons being concerned. In one
case a dwelling became again overcrowded after the Local
Authority had taken steps for the abatement of overcrowding.
The latter was remedied by the provision of a council house
for the sub-tenant early in 1943.
WATER SUPPLY.
No alteration was made in the source of the water
supply.
The East Surrey Water Company's supply and that of the
Sutton Water Company were each examined bacteriologically four
times and twice chemically. In all cases the reports were
satisfactory.
Both Companies continued their practice of
maintaining a fairly high percentage of free chlorine and very
careful measures were taken to prevent infection resulting from
injury to mains, the Public Health Department co-operating in
the observation of results.
There was no shortage of water during the year.
The statutory maximum limit for hardness in the water
supplied by both Water Companies is 9 degrees and 42 samples
were examined by the Department during 1942 for total hardness.
In no case was the maximum found to have been exceeded.
RAINFALL.
During the year the rainfall was 28.93 ins. this
being 1.48 ins. less than in the previous year.
CLOSET ACCOMMODATION.
Nearly the whole district is on the water carriage
system, all premises being provided with water closets except
for isolated buildings, dwelling houses in outlying districts
and temporary buildings, the number of which latter has increased
with civil defence and other activities.
The total number of cesspools throughout the District
was 164, the drainage of one house having been connected to the
sewer.
The contents of all pail closets are collected by the
Council's tank and disposed of in the public sewers, as are the
contents of cesspools when emptied by this means.