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174
These remarks are just, and therefore I would again urgethat
the Companies should be compelled to exercise their power,
or that the Vestries and District Boards should have co-ordinate
authority, to enforce the regulation. Meanwhile, the attention of
householders cannot be too frequently drawn to the necessity for
abolition of waste-pipes, and periodical cleansing of cisterns for
storing potable water. Cisterns, moreover, should be properly
covered so as to exclude light and dirt; and so placed that the
water may be kept cool in summer, without being in danger of
freezing in winter. When "constant supply" is given, a screwdown
draw-off tap should be affixed to the rising main, or service
pipe, so that drinking and cooking water may be drawn therefrom,
fresh and uncontaminated, without the intervention of cisterns,
which are required for washing, flushing, baths, and similar
purposes. A stop-valve should be fixed outside the premises, to
prevent damage to the house, in case of pipes burst by frost or
other causes.
The quantity of water supplied by the Grand Junction, West
Middlesex and Chelsea Companies, respectively, last year, averaged
35, 29 and 37 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. 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 month of January, was bad, in February
fair, in March good, April and May indifferent, June fair, July,
August and September good, October fair, and remainder of year
indifferent. It need hardly be added that polluted water is 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
fitration.