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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Water Supply
Part IV, Public
Health Act 1936,
Sec. 28, Water Act 1945,
Sec. 78
Public Health Act 1961
It is the duty of every local authority to take such steps as are necessary for
ascertaining the sufficiency and wholesomeness of water supplies within
their district.
Five samples were submitted for bacteriological examination by the Department
and all were satisfactory.
With one exception, the water supply to all dwellings in the borough is
direct from the public mains supply. Most of the borough is supplied by the
Metropolitan Water Board, but the Hadley Wood and Cockfosters area is
supplied by the Lee Valley Water Company. Frequent samples for chemical
and bacteriological examination were taken by both undertakings and all
proved satisfactory.
I am grateful to the Director of Water Examination of the Metropolitan Water
Board for the following report on the supply to the London Borough of
Enfield:
"1. (a) The supply was satisfactory both as to (i) quality, and (ii) quantity
throughout 1971.
(b) All new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine; after a predetermined
period of contact the pipes are flushed out and refilled; samples
of water are then collected from these treated mains; and the mains are
returned to service only after the analytical results are found to be satisfactory.
The quality control from these laboratories is carried out by means of daily
sampling from sources of supply, from the treatment works or well stations,
from the distribution system, and through to the consumer. Any sign of
contamination or any other abnormality is immediately investigated.
(c) (i) The Board has no record of the number of structurally separate
dwellings supplied in your area, but the population supplied direct according
to the Registrar General's estimates at the 30th June, 1971, was 262,294.
(ii) No houses were permanently supplied by standpipe.
(d) No artificial fluoride is being added, and where the fluoride content is
indicated in the analyses it represents the naturally occurring fluoride in the
water.
2. (a) The supply was derived from the following works and pumping
stations:—
The west and north of the borough are supplied with Thames-derived water
with some well water from Hoe Lane, Hadley Road and Waltham Abbey
pumping stations. The south-east portion in Edmonton receives New Riverderived
water. Part of the western boundary of the borough is supplied by
the Lee Valley Water Company.
No new sources of supply were instituted and there were no changes to the
general scheme of supply in your area.
The number of samples collected and the bacteriological and chemical analyses
of the supply from the above sources after treatment are shown on the
attached sheets (see tables).
(b) On account of their hardness content and alkaline reaction the Board's
river and well water supplies are shown to be not plumbo-solvent. It should,
however, be appreciated that all types of water pick up varying amounts of
metal from the material of water piping, particularly when it is newly
installed; this applies to copper, zinc, iron and also to lead." (See Tables 40,
41 and 42).
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