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21
SECTION C.
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
(i) Water Supply.— The district is served by the Metropolitan Water Board
and the South Essex Waterworks Co., both maintaining a constant supply. The
subject of the water supply of the Borough was dealt with at length in my
Report for 1945.
The part of Ilford within the area of the Metropolitan Water Board is
supplied with water derived from the River Lea, which after passing through
storage reservoirs is filtered and chlorinated at Lea Bridge and Ferry Lane,
and pumped from those works. An additional amount of water is supplied from
Wanstead Well.
Samples of the water in all stages of purification are analysed daily at the
laboratories of the Board.
Lieutenant-Colonel E. F. W. Mackenzie, Director of Water Examination of
the Board has kindly supplied me with the information that 2,652 samples of
filtered water were submitted to chemical and bacteriological examination and
found to be pure and wholesome. All new and repaired mains are chlorinated
before being restored to use and samples of water from them are tested bacteriologically.
The water is not plumbo-solvent.
The length of mains laid by the Metropolitan Water Board in Ilford during
1947 was 1,274 yards of 4-inch.
On the 15th March 1947, Hooding caused disorganisation at the Lea Bridge
Pumping Station thereby contaminating the water supplies to the East London
district which included approximately one-third of the Ilford area.
Steps were immediately taken to warn consumers to boil water before use,
by means of B.B.C. broadcasts, notices displayed on the screens of local
cinemas and on the public libraries and town hall notice boards, visits by the
Sanitary Inspectors and loud speaker vans provided by the Metropolitan Water
Board, Police and the Ilford Electricity Department. The Sanitary Inspectors
also visited all premises wherein food was prepared, cooked or treated in any
manner, giving instructions for procedure to prevent contamination of foodstuffs
and utensils. 13,000 reminder leaflets drawing attention to the need for
boiling the water, were circulated throughout the affected district with the
assistance of the W.Y.S., Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Associations. The Provision
of Meals services for the schools were discontinued owing to the
administrative difficulties arising from the sterilising of water and the chlorine
content of available supplies. In most of the affected areas intermittent mains
supplies were maintained and supplemented by a water cart service.
On the 28th March, notification was received from the Water Board that
conditions had so improved at the Lea Bridge Works that normal pumping
would be resumed, and that the need for boiling water from their mains had
ceased. Publicity was given to a recommendation that in premises which had
remained empty throughout the period all cisterns should be sterilised and
flushed out immediately afterwards. For this purpose a supply of chloros was
made available at the Public Health Department.
Three samples of water were taken daily from various premises in the
district and all proved satisfactory.
The water to the other part of the area is supplied by The South Essex
Waterworks Co. The supply is obtained from the River Stour and from deep
wells at Mill Road, Grove Road and Roding Lane.
Mr. Hugh G. Ramsay, Engineer to the South Essex Waterworks Co., has
kindly supplied me with the information that over 3,200 chemical, bacteriological
and biological examinations were made at the Langham laboratory, and all
were reported as wholesome.