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147
The quantity of water supplied by the Grand Junction, West
Middlesex, and Chelsea Companies, respectively, last year, averaged
34, 28 and 38 gallons daily per head of the population. The
"intake" of the Chelsea Company is at West Molesey; the
intakes of the other Companies 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 the time
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, June, and November, 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.
They comprise a storage reservoir, holding 45 million gallons of water ;
five filters capable of filtering nearly 8 million gallons per day ; and a
covered reservoir containing more than 2 million gallons of filtered
water. 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 reservoirs at their Kew
and Campden Hill Works, with the main of the East London Company,
and made connection of mains in other localities, so that the 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 constant
supply has been extended to houses in this parish, but the following
facts with reference to the districts of the local Companies may be
acceptable. The West Middlesex Company are giving constant supply