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companies should see fit to grant it. They are enabled to afford a constant supply,
even though it should not be required of them by the Metropolitan Authority, and I
believe they would be gainers by so doing; for at present it is more than probable
that half their water is wasted by reason of the inefficiency of existing fittings;
whereas, under the new regulations, sound fittings must be provided, and thus the
waste of water will be reduced to a minimum. New neighbourhoods as they arise
will have the constant supply, for new houses must be provided with the prescribed
fittings. There is hope in this, for it will not be difficult to prove that less water will
be required under the constant supply than upon the intermittent system. But old,
and especially poor localities, will have to wait; for the Act is so drawn as to make
it almost impossible to provide the prescribed fittings within the specified time. A
brief reference to the terms of the Act will suffice to prove this. The Metropolitan
Authority may require a company to afford a constant supply in a district, the
period allowed being four months. A district is defined to be the area selected for
the purpose of constant supply, and being conterminous with one or more
'services' of a water company. A 'service' supplies from 50 to 100 houses.
The Metropolitan Authority may, therefore, require a company to afford a constant
supply to 50 or 100 houses. But if within two months after the requisition, the
company can show that "more than one-fifth of the houses are unprovided
with the prescribed fittings, they would not be bound to give it. The com
pany, moreover, has power to appeal against the requisition within a month
after presentation, and until the time for appeal has expired, the Metropolitan
Authority would probably hesitate to put consumers to expense in rectifying their
apparatus of supply. It follows, that there would remain one month only during
which the fittings of four-fifths of the houses must be made efficient, in accordance
with the regulations; failing which, the requisition for the constant supply falls to
the ground. Considering how many objections the company may easily raise to
existing fittings, on the score of even minute and comparatively unimportant
divergences from the prescribed fittings, it will be apparent that, if they are minded
to take advantage of technical objections, their power for obstructive purposes is
very great.
"The company has the right of entry to inspect fittings during two months following
the presentation of the requisition, a power which the Metropolitan Authority
does not appear to possess, though it is hardly probable that their officer would be
denied admission. Of course proceedings may be commenced de novo, after a
lapsed requisition, and thus, in course of time, certain districts will obtain the constant
supply; but, knowing the powers of the companies, we must conclude that
our prospect of an early and general introduction of the system depends largely
upon their disposition to comply loyally with the spirit of the Act. I am not without
hope that some company, more wise than the rest, will be found willing to give
the new system a fair trial upon a large scale, a course that I am confident may be
safely adopted, as much in their own interest as for the advantage of the consumer,
and thus pave the way to its general introduction. But without waiting for this,
and as the Metropolitan Authority has invited suggestions upon the regulations, I