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cisterns: this is a matter entirely in the control of the Water Companies,
under the Regulations, one of which, moreover, (the 14th),
enables them to order the abolition of "waste-pipes" of cisterns. But,
excepting where constant supply is given, the Companies appear to
take little notice of waste-pipes: and they seem to be somewhat
indifferent to the placing of cisterns. I had, in 1872, invited the
attention of the local Companies to the desirability of enforcing the
14th Regulation, but being trading bodies, and taking the view that
it was intended to prevent waste of water, about which in those days they
were apparently indifferent; being unwilling, moreover, to offend their
customers, nothing was done; my argument that the Regulation had
for one of its objects the abolition of a dangerous nuisance making no
impression. When Cholera threatened, in 1883, I thought the time suitable
for making a further effort in this direction, and your Vestry, acting
upon my recommendation, which was endorsed by the Works and
Sanitary Committee, addressed communications upon the subject to
the Local Government Board, the several Sanitary Authorities and
the Companies. The Board were urged to obtain an amendment of
the law, so as to give the Sanitary Authorities co-ordinate powers to
enforce the Regulations—but no such action was taken—and were
further requested to urge the Companies to put Regulation 14 into
operation forthwith. Many of the Sanitary Authorities supported
your Vestry's action in the matter, the only practical result of which
was that the several Companies, at the instance of the Local Government
Board, issued circular notices to their individual customers, in
which attention was drawn to the excellent advice upon the subject
of cleansing and covering of cisterns, and cutting-off waste-pipes,
embodied in the reports of the late Water Examiner. It may be
worth mentioning, in connection with this subject, that the Metropolitan
Medical Officers of Health having in 1883 met the Medical
Officer to the Local Government Board, with a view to concert action
in the event of cholera making its appearance (happily it did not), one
of their recommendations was that the attention of the Board "should
be called to the necessity of careful supervision of the sources of water
supply in the rivers, and of the storage reservoirs, &c.," on the
ground that if cholera should be imported, it might be spread
through the agency of the water supply.