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26
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Section c.
1. (i) Water.
The water supply of the town is furnished by the
Metropolitan Water Board, and has been satisfactory in
quality and quantity, Bacteriological and chemical Examinations
of the piped supply are carried out by the Board, and
it was not found necessary to refer to the Board during 1946
in regard to any specific complaint.
comparatively few shallow wells remain in the townthere
being only 19 premises known to be supplied with well
water at the end of 1946.
(ii) Drainage and Sewerage.
There were no main drainage works undertaken during
the year.
2. RIVER AND STREAMS.
The effluent from the Corporation Sewage Disposal
Works is discharged into the Thames. Owing to the loss of the
filter beds which were dismantled to clear the site of the new
Electricity Works, it was found necessary to continue the
chlorination of the effluent before discharge into the Thames.
Every endeavour has been made to maintain a standard of purification
satisfactory to the Thames Conservancy Board, which
is the body responsible for checking pollution of the Thames
and its tributaries.
Owing to the shortage of housing accommodation,
there has been a tendency for river craft of various kinds to
be used as temporary accommodation. These craft are not
numerous within the borough boundary, but the fact that certain
boats are regularly used as homes is indicated by the display
cf the weekly washing strung the length of the decks, and by
other signs of habitation. The questions of drinking water
supply and of sanitary accommodation have been considered, but
these boats are not houses which come within the appropriate
provisions ofthe Public Health Act, 1936, and, therefore,
appropriate action to prevent river pollution can be taken only
by the Conservancy .Board.
The Hog smill River is a tributary of the rhames. It
flows through the Southern part of the Borough and joins the
Thames at a point a short distance above Kingston Bridge. The
Hogsmill River receives sewage effluents from Malden and
Epsom and Ewell, at points before reaching the Borough boundary.
A scheme for widening the Hogsmill River was prepared by the
Surrey County Council prior to the outbreak of war when the
plans were suspended.