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216
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 gravel and sand which are characteristic
of the neighbourhood. The state of the water in the Thames
during the months of February and December, and parts of January,
March, April and June, was generally bad, and the water that had
to be taken in by the Companies was much polluted, and was found
to be 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 with respect to the local Companies
are derived from Sir Francis Bolton's report-
Storage and Filtration.—No new works have been found necessary by the
West Middlesex and Chelsea Companies, the existing means being
sufficient to meet all requirements at all times of the year. The Grand
Junction Company have completed their new works at Hampton, and
have commenced the construction of two additional filters capable of
filtering an additional quantity of nearly three million gallons per day.
By means of these works an independent and direct supply is maintained
to the whole of the low level district from Hampton to Notting
Hill. They have also connected their mains with those of the East
London Waterworks Company, so that one Company can assist the
other in case of emergency arising from fracture of a main, etc.
Constant Supply.—I have no means of ascertaining to what extent the constant
supply has been extended to houses in this parish, but the
following facts relating to the subject, in the districts of the Companies
in which we are interested, may be acceptable. The West Middlesex
Company are giving constant supply to all new estates and buildings,
and where new services are laid down constant supply is made compulsory
by the Company; 4,362 houses were put on constant supply
during the year, and in May, 1885, the number of houses on constant
supply was 18,419, out of a total of 65,619; comparatively few of these,
I imagine, being in this parish.
The Grand Junction Company in May, 1885, were giving constant supply
to 33,583 houses, out of a total of 50,014; the increase during the year
1884, was 7,082, and the system has been extended to North Kensington
and new estates at Notting Hill.