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damage to the house in case of pipes burst by frost or other
causes. When constant supply is given a screw down draw.
off tap should be affixed on to the rising main, or service
pipe, so that drinking and cooking water may be drawn therefrom
without the intervention of cisterns, which are required
for washing, flushing, baths and similar purposes.
The quantity of water supplied daily, 290, 195, and 298
gallons per house, by the Grand Junction, West Middlesex,
and Chelsea Companies respectively, was super.abundant,
and indicates great waste, amounting as it does, in the three
districts respectively, to 32.22, 26.11, and 38.01 gallons per
head of the population. The " intake " of the Chelsea Company
is at West Molesey; of the others, at Hampton Court.
The Grand Junction supply is supplemented from gravel beds
at Hampton, the company having a complete system of
underground collection of water on about 20 acres of land,
and being able during times of flood to raise 12 million
gallons of water per day that has passed through the natural
beds of granite and sand which are characteristic of the
neighbourhood. The state of the water in the Thames during
the months of January, February, and parts of March,
October, November, and December, was generally bad;
and the water that had to be taken in by the Companies was
much polluted, and very difficult to filter. The solid impurities
in suspension, chiefly consisting of clay, marl, and chalk
in a very finely divided state, can be got rid of only by long
subsidence previous to filtration. The storage reservoirs
appear to be adequate for the purpose.
The following particulars, are derived from Sir Francis
Bolton's report, in respect of the local Companies:—
Storage and Filtration.—No new works have been found necessary by the
Companies the existing means being sufficient to meet all requirements
at all times of the year.
Constant Supply.—I have no means of ascertaining to what extent the constant
supply has been extended to houses in this parish ; but the follow
ing facts relating to the subject in the districts of the Companies in which
we are interested may be acceptable. The West Middlesex Company are