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WATER SUPPLY.
The greater part of the water supply of Friern
Barnet is obtained from deep wells sunk into the chalk and
is provided by the Barnet District Water Company. A small
part of the District in the South Ward, is supplied from
the mains of the Metropolitan Water Board. The supply
has been satisfactory in quality and quantity,,
All the houses in the District have a piped supply,,
A few complaints received concerning the supply were found
to be due to domestic storage cisterns in need of cleansing
or covering.PESTS AND VERMIN.
Some 451 premises were examined as a result of
complaints or during the normal survey of the District to
find and eliminate rats. One hundred and forty of these
premises were found to be harbouring rats to varying extent
and were treated by one or other of the methods recommended
by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Whenever
possible the cause of a particular infestation was sought
and eliminated'in order to prevent re-infestation. As in
previous years the presence of rats was often associated
with defective drains or the keeping of fowls,
The Council's undertakings such as the Sewage Works,
Depots and Parks, • nd the open spaces in the District were
inspected throughout the year and treatments were carried
out as necessary. Surveys and treatments of the sewers
were also conducted in the months of June and December.
The number of manholes shewing use by rats was 15 on each
occasion. When these sewer treatments are started in 1947,
55 manholes were found to be infested,
As a result of these various activities it was
estimated that at least 1,100 rats had been destroyed. A
total of 1321 visits was made by the rodent operative in
connection with those operations
A further 48 premises were dealt with where there
were infestations by mice.
No legal proceedings were necessary under the
Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, in order to free
premises or land from rats or mice, or to secure the
structural repairs found to he necessary.
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