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11
SECTION C.
SANITARY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CIRCUMSTANCES
I am indebted to the Director of Water Examination,
Metropolitan Water Board, for the following statement and for
the details of analysis of water supplies, which are set out in
Appendix 6 :
" The supply to the district of Orpington is derived from
seven wells, namely, Orpington, North Orpington, Jewels Wood,
Sundridge, Eynsford, Shortlands and Bexley.
" Bacteriological analyses of these wells are made five times
a week, and consistently satisfactory results have been obtained.
Chemical analyses of well supplies are also made at regular
intervals.
" All supplies are treated with chlorine on the works, but
any excess remaining after a period of contact is removed completely
or reduced to an amount that will not be perceptible to
the consumer.
" All new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine
before being restored to supply, and samples of water from them
are analysed to establish that the water in them is up to the
normal standard of water in the distribution system.
" None of the supplies is plumbo-solvent."
There are certain residential areas within the district that
are without main piped water supply, no less than 213 houses
being dependent upon underground tank or well supply.
During the year 58 houses previously devoid of main supply
were connected to water mains, and the Metropolitan Water
Board laid considerable lengths of service mains, the chief of
which were to the new L.C.C. Housing Estate at St. Paul's Cray,
Orpington Garden Estate and Windsor Drive Estate.
In April, 1949, the Council adopted conditions for financial
assistance from the Council towards the cost of connecting houses
to main water supply—the amount of the loan not exceeding £10
per house.
The presence of a large number of cesspools in the area is
a potential danger to water contamination where water is drawn
from wells in the chalk strata.
Drainage.
Main drainage is under the control of the West Kent Main
Sewerage Board. There were no extensions of the mains during
the year.