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the water.
The preceding table (p.12) illustrates all the principal facts concerning the watersupply
of the district; it shows that there are four kinds or sources of supply. 1st,—
the surface-drainage, or superficial gravel waters. 2nd,—the deep-sand wells. 3rd,—the
chalk or Artesian wells. 4th,—the water-companies. A few remarks upon each of
these may be useful.
1st.—The surface-drainage wells. The character of these I have already touched
upon in describing the soil. The water drained from them is literally a solution of
the foul and festering constituents of the upper layer of the soil, imperfectly purified
by filtration in the gravel.
The differences in the amount of contamination exhibited by the different wells
of this class may be accounted for by the fact already adverted to—that the clay forms
detached basins, or reservoirs, which catch the drainage-waters of different portions of
the surface. It may thus be inferred that the water in the reservoir in Curtain Road,
opposite Chapel Street, is exposed to some special and fearful source of empoisonment.
2nd.—The deep sand wells. The water from these wells is of excellent quality;
but it is not available for general domestic use. The difference in the ingredients held
in solution in waters drawn from different wells belonging to the same stratum seems
also to indicate the existence of causes of local and partial influence. In some instances
there has been reason to believe that direct sources of contamination have existed.
It is known that some abandoned wells have been used for cesspools, and receptacles
for waste and refuse liquors of various manufactories. It may well be that, in the case
of wells situated near together, and of similar depth, the foul matters discharged from
the bottom of one may be sucked up into the other.
The utmost vigilance should be exerted to prevent such reckless and mischievous
proceedings.
3rd—The Chalk-water. The inmates of the Workhouse are supplied with this
water, and are in this respect probably better provided for than any other inhabitants of
the parish. The comparative freedom of this water, and that of the deep sand water,
from organic matter renders them peculiarly fit for domestic use.
The experience, however, of Mr. Braithwaite, and the observations of other
scientific men, justify a doubt whether more than a limited supply can be counted