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15
In addition, analyses have also been made of samples obtained
from consumers' taps in the various parts of the Company's
district, including that of your Council, and all proved to be
satisfactory.
The water supplied is not plumbo-solvent.
No action has been necessary in respect to any form of contamination.
The number of dwelling houses supplied as at 31st December
last was 31,306 and the population as at 30th June, 1953, as
obtained from the Registrar General was 105,100."
Approximately 0.6 per cent. of the inhabited houses, and 0.6
per cent, of the population of the Urban District obtain their water
from standpipes.
Atmospheric Pollution.
It was agreed that our future programme should include two
additional deposit gauges to be sited at the Council Offices and Oglethorpe
School (this latter through the kind co-operation of the Divisional
Education Committee and Mr. Dance, the Headmaster). This will
enable a broader view to be taken of the types of pollution occurring
in the atmosphere in varying parts of our area.
Our 5-year programme ended in August of this year and will be
continued in the meantime on the same general lines.
It is a great pity that some practical financial incentive is not
given to Authorities—or for that matter individuals—exhibiting a
progressive outlook towards this problem.
Familiarity breeds if not contempt at least indifference and divests
any problem after a time of any real glamour, popular appeal or sense
of urgency. It is, however, to the credit of the press that since the
' London Smog' of December 1952 periodic and very pertinent reminders
have been given us that the time for complacency is not yet.
As you are aware a Sub-Committee has been set up to consider
this question and the local position will doubtless be kept under surveillance.
The use of smokeless fuel on a wide scale is allied to quality, price,
availability and convincing the public of its benefits, not to mention
the practical necessity for having an appliance suitable for its combustion.
Both the domestic consumer and the industrial user have
contributions which they can make and it must be the responsibility
of central and local government to persuade them that the interests
of all will be served by their acting as quickly as possible. It is true
that getting rid of smoke will not clear the atmosphere of contamination
in whole but surely if smoke either by itself or more possibly in combination
with other contaminants can cause trouble then if we can
lessen or obviate the smoke whilst at the same time tackling the other
contaminants, e.g. sulphur dioxide, then it is a worthwhile step.
The Heaver Committee are pursuing their enquiries following the
issue of their interim report. This document was very readable and
presented the problem succinctly and in small compass. The ultimate