London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Barnet 1954

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barnet Urban District Council]

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WATER SUPPLY.
The major area of the district is supplied with water from the mains of
the Barnet District Water Company, and the remainder is served by the Colne
Valley Water Company.
All water supplied by the Barnet District Water Company is chlorinated.
A pathological staff is maintained and the water is regularly tested at all
stages. During the year, a total of 1,732 bacteriological and 240 chemical
examinations of the vater were made by the Company's own staff. 1,470 of
these samples were representative of the supply and 99.6% were found to be
free from B. Coli.
The Colne Valley Water Company exercises constant supervision, and
members of the staff are on duty day and night throughout the year examining
samples. All the water supplied by this Company is chlorinated. The water
supply is satisfactory both from the Chemical and Bacteriological aspects.
Six samples of water were taken by the Department, four from Barnet
District Water Company's supply and two from the Colne Valley Water Company's
supply, and submitted for analysis with satisfactory results, coliform
organisms being absent in 100 millitres in each case.
The water supply to the whole district is considered adequate, and all
houses are supplied by these companies mains, with the exception of one house
which is still using water from a well in the front garden, from where it is
pumped up to a store tank in the roof space.
DRAINAGE AMD SEWERAGE.
The town is drained and sewered on the separate system, excepting the
older portions of the district where it is a combined system. The sewage is
conveyed to a Sewage Disposal works of 56 acres, where it is screened, grit
removed in detritus tanks, thence to primary settlement tanks and thereafter
distributed over three 80 ft. diameter bacteria filters, followed by humus
removal in rectangular tanks before discharge to the Dollis Brook. Pumping
is necessary for three severs which have their outlets at a low point on the
works. Part of the Tottaridge area drains to the Finchley Borough sewers;
in the outlying areas some properties are on cesspool drainage or domestic
sewage disposal plants, and a few only have pail closets.