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123
Water Regulations framed by the Companies and
approved by the Board of Trade, whose powers under
the Water Acts were subsequently transferred to the
Local Government Board.— Some of the regulations, which
have been in operation since August 10th, 1872, appear to have
been framed in the public interests, regarded from a sanitary
point of view. Regulation 13 requires that the " cistern " shall
be " water-tight " and " properly covered," and " placed in such
a position that it may be inspected and cleansed;" it must also
be provided with a proper ball tap. The sanitary Inspectors, so
far as they are able, take care that cisterns shall be kept watertight,
clean, properly covered, &c., but the Companies do not
appear to take much interest in the position of cisterns, though
it is highly important, on sanitary grounds, that every cistern
should be accessible for the purpose of cleansing, &c.
Regulation 14 is -o important that I must quote it in extenso,
not for the first time :—
" No overflow or waste-pipe other than a 'warning pipe' shall be
attached to any cistern supplied with water by the Company, and
every such overflow or waste pipe existing at the time when these
regulations come into operation shall be removed, or at the option
of the consumer shall be converted into an efficient • warning pipe '
within two calendar months next after the Company shall have
given to the occupier of, or left at the premises in which such
cistern is situate, a notice in writing requiring such alteration to
be made."
The Companies have grievously failed in their duty, in
having neglected to put this regulation into force, universally.
Their officers, with whom I have had communication, allege
that the object of the regulation is prevention of waste, and not
sanitary. I need not discuss this question here, as it will be
referred to again: but I will say it is imperatively necessary
that the sanitary authority should have co-ordinate power with
the Companies to put the provisions of this regulation into force.
Regulation 16 forbids the use of buried cisterns without the
sanction of the Company, but such cisterns ought not to be