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16
SECTION C
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES.
1. WATER SUPPLY,
The town's water supply is provided by the Metropolitan
Water Board who maintain constant supervision over the
purity and adequacy of the supply.
Well water is used for industrial purposes at certain
factories in the town.
2. DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE.
The Borough Surveyor reports that the position regarding
disposal of sewage remains the same as last year, namely,
that the sewage from the Borough is pumped across the river
into a sewer in the Teddington area, for treatment at the
Mogden Disposal Works of the West Middlesex Main Drainage
Board. This arrangement is. of course, a temporary one
pending completion of the Hogsmill Valley Joint Sewerage
Board's scheme for the construction of new sewage disposal
works.
3o RIVERS AND STREAMS.
The River Thames forms the Western boundary of the
Borough and this river is under the control of the Thames
Conservancy Board, The Hogsmill River, a tributary of the
Thames, flows through the Borough. The chemical and
bacteriological condition of the stream is very unsatisfactory,
and is in large measure due to lack of natural
dilution for the sewage effluent carried in its flow.
It is doubtful if any improvement in the condition
of the Hogsmill Stream through the Borough can be expected
until the Hogsmill Valley Joint Sewerage Scheme for the
construction of the new sewage disposal works for Malden,
Surbiton, Epsom and Kingston has been completed.
Two instances occurred during 1953 of pollution of
the Hogsmill River on its course through the Borough.
One was found to be due to the discharge of factory waste
into a surface water sewer, and the firm concerned, upon
being informed of the fault, immediately made arrangements
for the drain to be connected to the foul water sewer.
With regard to the second case, at the close of the
year an investigation was in progress with a view to
tracing the entry of foul water into a surface water sewer.
Complaint was also received that oil was reaching the
Thames through the discharge from a surface water sewer.
Investigations revealed that, in all probability, the
pollution was due to overflow from a garage petroleum interceptor,
Such cases as this emphasize the need for regular
and frequent, cleansing of these installations.
CLOSET ACCOMMODATION.
All closets in connection with dwelling houses in
the Borough are on the water carriage system.