View report page

The Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health
of the Urban District of Hayes, for the Year 1911.
To the Chairman and Members of the Hayes Urban District Council.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report of Health and Sanitary Condition
of the Hayes Urban District for the year 1911.
A. NATURAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS.
Area 3311 acres; situated at from 85 to 169 feet above sea level; nearly flat; main
road from London to Oxford passes practically along the highest portion of the District. South
of this road subsoil gravel with water level in winter in many places very near the surface.
North of this road practically subsoil clay; the District is mainly Agricultural, but the Southern
position bordering the Great Western Railway and the Grand Junction Canal is Manufacturing.
A large proportion of the population is of the mechanical or labouring classes. The manufacturing
operations carried on are unlikely to have any effect on the public health.
B. WATER SUPPLY.
The water supply of the District is mainly from the Public Service of the Rickmansworth
and Uxbridge Valley Water Company, whose mains cover the greater portion of the inhabited
parts of the District. On several occasions complaints have been received by the Sanitary
Officer and myself of a very unpleasant flavour found in the water; up to now we have been
unable to obtain satisfactory samples of contaminated water; by the time complaints have
reached the offices and samples could be taken in a proper manner the unpleasantness has passed
off. It would much facilitate the action of the Officers of the Council if aggrieved persons
would forward complaints to the offices of the Council immediately the flavour is noticed.
There are still many dwellings which depend for their supply upon surface wells.
RIVERS AND STREAMS.
The only stream in the District is the River Crane, which is under the jurisdiction of
the Middlesex County Council and so far as we are aware no pollution has taken place.
3