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28
previous winter ; and (2) to excessive garden watering during the
drought in May and June.
(b) Decrease in the volume of the River Lea due to the unprecedented
drought which occurred during the first six months of 1895.
(c) Means of storage possessed by the East London Water Company
inadequate to enable them to meet the combined waste and
deficiency of water noted under headings (a) and (b).
II. That although the scarcity of water undoubtedly gave rise to considerable
inconvenience and hardship there is no evidence to shew that it had
any appreciable deleterious influence upon the public health within the
area of the East London Water Company.
III. — (a) That steps have already been taken by the East London Water
Company which should, in our opinion, afford sufficient storage
of water to meet any deficiency in the supply of water within
their district for many years to come.
(b) That for the protection of the consumer against unavoidable
temporary intermission of the pupply, we consider that there
would be distinct advantage in having properly designed means
of storage of water in houses.
In Shoreditch, cisterns for storing water for domestic purposes have, to a large
extent, been dispensed with, the consumers obtaining their water from taps fixed to
pipe in connection with the water mains without the intervention of any cistern.
The constant supply has been depended on, but the experience of the past two years
demonstrates the fact that from a variety of causes, the supply may become intermittent.
Under the existing order of things therefore, it would appear that the
provision of some means of storing water for domestic purposes were necessary.
The question of the provision of storage cisterns for domestic purposes in
dwelling houses was recently considered by the Metropolitan Branch of the Society of
Medical Officers of Health, and the conclusion they arrived at is as follows:—
"That in London, storage cisterns should be retained for domestic purposes
"in occupied dwelling houses supplied with water on the constant
"service system, and that a draw.off tap should be affixed to the rising
"main for the supply of water for dietetic uses."
Storage cisterns for domestic supply are not contra indicated, provided they can
be efficiently cleansed from time to time, or often as may be necessary, but in
crowded and poor localities, it is difficult to ensure this being done.
During the past year, the Vestry have made bye.laws for securing the cleansing
of cisterns (Appendix, see page 59) within the parish. Under any circumstances,
whether cisterns are provided or not, the water for drinking should always be taken
from a tap fixed to the rising main.
My attention has been drawn to a notice issued in December bv the New River
Company as to domestic boilers and the number of explosions which resulted from the