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245
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 several
Companies may be acceptable:—
The West Middlesex Company was giving constant supply at the end of 1890
to 27,245 houses, out of a total of 73,877: the increase during the year
was 2,508. No new area was brought under constant supply in 1890.
The Grand Junction Company was giving constant supply to 40,490 houses
out of a total of 56,572: a decrease during the year of 3,553. The system
has been extended to North Kensington by the voluntary act of the
Company.
The Chelsea Company was giving constant supply to 7,870 houses, out of a
total of 35,719: the increase during the year was 653. 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 comparison, it may be mentioned that the East London Waterworks
Company was giving constant supply, at the end of the year, to
162,000, out of a total of 169,414 houses. The increase during the year
was 3,975; 96 per cent. of the houses being on constant supply; a fact
very creditable to the Company, having regard to the difficulties, qua
waste, with which they have to contend, owing to the carlessness
alleged to be rife at the East End—to say nothing of defective fittings
in the miserable houses so common in the district.
The percentage of house supplies on the constant system in each local
Company's district, Dec. 31st, 1890, was as follows, Chelsea 22 per cent.;
West Middlesex, 37 per cent.; and Grand Junction, 71 per cent. against
79 per cent. in 1889. Considerable advance was made during the past
year in London as a whole, in extending the constant supply; 478,041
out of the total number of 769,122 houses supplied, or 62 per cent., being
now on constant service: an increase of 26,548 during the year; the number
of houses having increased in the year by 10,787 only. At the end of
the year there were 1,246 miles of streets in which the mains were constantly
charged.
In a contrast of the intermittent and constant Service
systems, the Water Examiner observed, in his report for 1889,
that "the intermittent charging of the service pipes favours