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176
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 several districts 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, on outside stop valves being fixed ;
1,165 houses were put on constant supply during the year, the number
of houses on constant supply being 20,493 out of a total of 68,486.
The Grand Junction Company were giving constant supply to 40,298 houses
out of a total of 52,794 ; the increase during the year 1886 was 2,965.
The system has been extended to North Kensington.
The Chelsea Company were giving constant supply to 5,160 houses (increase
during the past year. 398), out of a total of 34,251. This Company
is the only one of the eight Metropolitan Water Companies which has
given no notice of its intention to substitute a constant for an intermittent
supply under the provisions of the Act of 1871.
Judging from the few applications made for constant supply, there appears
to be little desire on the part of the public authorities, or private
individuals, in any of the districts, for the continuous service; but all
new estates and new lines of streets are being so supplied voluntarily.
By way of contrast, and to show how backward the Western Companies are
in the matter of constant supply, as compared with the Companies in
the East of London, it may be mentioned that the East London Waterworks
Company now give constant supply to 137,238, out of a total of
156,588 houses supplied by them, and containing an estimated population
of 1,174,410 persons.
The percentage of house supplies on the constant system in each local
Company's district, in March 1887, was Chelsea, 15 per cent. ; West
Middlesex, 30 per cent.; and Grand Junction, 77 per cent. In the
East London District the percentage is as high as 87. But considerable
advance was made during the past year in London as a whole, in
extending the constant supply: 345,043, out of the total number of
719,906 houses supplied, being now on constant service; an increase of
24,765.
The number of miles of streets containing mains constantly charged, and
on which hydrants for fire extinguishing purposes could at once be
fixed, in the districts of the local Companies was, in December, West
Middlesex, 107¼; Grand Junction, 82½ ; and Chelsea, 74½. The Companies
are ready to affix hydrants on the mains whenever required to do
so. In the Metropolis there were 9,343 hydrants only, the total length
of mains being 1,171½ miles. The increase, in mains, during 1886, was
38½ miles, and in number of hydrants, 893.