View report page

217
Sanitary Committee, to the following effect
"That a communication be addressed to the London County Council,
requesting them, as the Metropolitan Authority under the Metropolis
Water Act, 1871, to make application to the several Water Companies
supplying water within the area of this Parish, requiring them to give
a constant supply in their respective districts."
The Council's reply was to the effect that they were
"taking the necessary measures with a view to the system of
constant water supply being extended to all parts of the County
of London as speedily as practicable."
This question of constant supply having thus been so
prominently brought to the fore, and so much relating to it
turning upon the terms of the "Regulations" made by the companies,
I may, perhaps, be allowed to reproduce here a report
on the subject, which I addressed to your Vestry, November
20th, 1872, as follows:—
"Special Report upon the Regulations made under the
Metropolis Water Act, 1871.
"The Water Companies were required by section 17, within six months alter
the passing of the Act, to make regulations for the purposes for which regulations
may be made under the authority of section 26 of the 'Metropolis Water Act,
1852.' The regulations drafted accordingly, and submitted to the Board of
Trade, were of a very stringent character, sufficient regard being had, as might
have been expected, to the interests of the companies. It is hardly too much to
say that, had these regulations been adopted, London would have had to wait
many a long year for the constant supply, as there would have been imposed a
very great burden, of expense and vexation, upon nearly all householders, who
would have been very generally compelled to remove existing and provide new
fittings of a costly description, as a preliminary to the introduction of the constant
system. But the Metropolitan Authority (Metropolitan Board of Works)
submitted amended regulations for the consideration of the Board of Trade, in
which, while due regard was paid to the necessity of preventing the fouling and
waste of water, the pecuniary interests of the ratepayers were not forgotten. The
two sets of regulations were referred by the Board of Trade to a small commission,
before which the companies and the Metropolitan Authority were heard by
counsel, the final result being the code of regulations laid before you on the 6th
instant by the Metropolitan Board. These regulations will, I doubt not, be felt
to be sufficiently onerous when they come to be put into operation; but they are
light in comparison with the companies' propositions, the commission having