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SECTION D.
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA
Wafer Supply
The Borough has a dual source of supply. The northern part is supplied by the Colne
Valley Water Company and the central and southern portion by the Metropolitan Water Board.
The Colne Valley water is derived from deep wells sunk into the chalk and before distribution
to the consumers the water is under constant supervision of a chemical and bacteriological
staff which carries out examinations in modern laboratories situated at the works.
The water supplied by the Metropolitan Water Board is selected Thames water which has
been subjected to purification by storage in which time it is freed of the bulk of organisms. It is
filtered through rapid and then slow filters, attaining a degree of purity which compares favourably
with the general supplies in Great Britain, but as a further safeguard terminal chlorination is
applied which ensures a first class water in every respect. Samples of water are examined
bacteriologically, chemically and for taste and other special purposes on every working day.
The supply to all areas was satisfactory in quality and quantity.
Number of dwellinghouses supplied from public water mains
(a) Direct to houses 45,050
(b) by means of standpipes Nil
Number of population supplied from public water mains
(a) Direct to houses 151,500
(b) by means of standpipes Nil
Natural fluoride content of water supplies
Colne Valley Water Company : Fluoride content — Nil
Metropolitan Water Board : Fluoride content — 0.15 parts per million.
The water supplied to Hendon is deficient in fluoride when compared with supplies in certain
other places such as Slough, South Shields and Burnham-on-Crouch, where fluoride is present
naturally in the water, or in Watford where it is now being added in the Interest of better dental
health.
The incidence of dental decay in children is reduced by more than half when the drinking
water contains adequate fluoride.
HOUSING
I am indebted to the Housing Officer for the following observations and statistics relevant
to the housing situation.
"Steady progress has been maintained in providing accommodation for persons in need of rehousing
and 405 families were rehoused into permanent houses and flats during the past year. The
number of Council dwellings at 31st December 1958 was 4,079 of which 2,789 have been erected in
post-war years
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