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of the year was the rainiest, nearly 11½ inches fell, the fall exceeding the average
by over 4 inches. The wettest month was October, when 5.34 inches fell, and the
dryest was January, when the fall only amounted to 0.61 of an inch.
No complaints were received as to the quality of the water supplied in the
Borough either in the East London or in the New River district, and there was no
reason for suspecting the occurrence of any water-borne disease.
In accordance with Section 49 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, communications
were received from the Metropolitan Water Board as to water-supplies
to houses being cut off in respect to 113 premises, 81 in the New River district and
32 in the East London district. The area of the latter district in Shoreditch is about
a quarter of the area of the Borough. In many of the intimations the premises
referred to had been vacated.
Arising out of a resolution of the Islington Borough Council asking the Metropolitan
Water Board to adopt legal proceedings instead of cutting off the water as
a means of recovering the rates, there was some correspondence between the Board
and the Metropolitan Borough Councils upon the subject. In consequence thereof
in the early part of the year the Board sent for the information of the Borough
Councils an extract from a report of their Finance Committee dealing with the
withdrawal of supplies. From this it appears that by far the greater number of
cutting off cases have no connection whatever with the payment of the water rates,
but are the results of defective or irregular water fittings and waste of water, requiring
the attention of the Board's engineering department. The power of cutting off for
non-payment of rates is now very sparingly used, and arrangements were being made
whereby summary proceedings for the recovery of arrears are to be taken in the
great majority of cases. The Board point out that the effect of their operation has
been to considerably reduce the number of cutting-off notices issued, and. that the
process of reduction will be continued as rapidly as circumstances permit. With
reference to this it may be stated that the intimations as to the withdrawals of supplies
in Shoreditch have been considerably reduced in number during the past four years
as compared with the previous four years, when the water companies were in
existence. The Board suggest that if at any time the local authorities find that the
disconnection of a supply is likely to occasion the slightest danger to the public
health, they should direct their officials to communicate with the Board's officials,
who would promptly act in concert with them in order to obviate the possibility of
the danger referred to.
Dealing with the present procedure, the facts are stated to be as follows:—
No supply is cut off for the non-payment of rates—
(a) Without an order of the Committee after a full enquiry into the whole
of the circumstances.
(b) Where the premises are known to be occupied Ivy more than one family.
(c) Where inability to pay by reason of real poverty is established.
(d) Where the owner and not the occupier is responsible by law or agreement
for the payment of the water rate.
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