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(i) Water Supply.— The district is served by the Metropolitan Water
Board and South Essex Waterworks Co., both maintaining a constant
supply. The subject of the water supply of the Borough was dealt with
at length in the Report for 1945.
Dr. E. Windle Taylor, Director of Water Examination of the Metropolitan
Water Board, has kindly supplied me with the information that
1,526 samples of filtered water were submitted to chemical and bacteriological
examination and found to be pure and wholesome.
Samples of the water at all stages of purification are analysed daily
in the Laboratories.
The part of Ilford in the area of the Board is supplied with water
derived from the River Lee, filtered and chlorinated at the Lee Bridge
works and Ferry Lane works and then pumped into supply. An additional
amount of water is supplied to the Ilford area from Ferry Lane and
Wanstead wells. Contact tanks are now in operation at these works in
which the dose of chlorine is able to exert its full effect before the water
passes into the distribution system.
All new and repaired mains are chlorinated before being restored
to use and samples of water from them are tested to confirm that the
quality of the water is up to that normally supplied. The water is not
plumbo-solvent.
The length of main laid by the Metropolitan Water Board in Ilford
during 1957 was 155 yards of 4 inch.
The water provided to the remainder of the Ilford district by the
South Essex Waterworks Co. is obtained from the River Stour and from
deep wells at Mill Road, Grove Road and Roding Lane.
Mr. Hugh G. Ramsey, Engineer to South Essex Waterworks Co.,
has kindly supplied me with the information that over 3,890 chemical
bacteriological and biological examinations were made at the Langham
Laboratory and all were reported as wholesome. Samples were taken
weekly from wells and houses in various parts of the area and were
invariably satisfactory.
Mains were extended by the Company as follows:—1,258 yards of 21
inch; 48 yards of 18 inch; 209 yards of 9 inch; 36 yards of 6 inch
459 yards of 4 inch; and 725 yards of 3 inch.
A supplementary supply of water was obtained from the Metropolitan
Water Board during the months of June and July, the total
quantity supplied being 31 million gallons.
There are now no public wells in existence. There are a few private
wells for domestic and commercial purposes.
Four samples of piped water supply (2 South Essex Waterworks
Co., and 2 Metropolitan Water Board) were taken for Chemical and
Bacteriological examination, and all gave satisfactory analyses.
(ii) Swimming Baths and Pools.—Five samples of water for examination
were taken from the open air swimming bath from April to September.
The samples were satisfactory. Fourteen samples were also taken
from the two indoor baths during February, April, May, July, August, September,
October and November: all the samples were satisfactory.
Upon a proposal to give facilities for early morning swimming in
Valentines Park Lake, a sample of the lake water was taken in August.
The sample showed appreciable, though not excessive organic and
bacterial impurity for a surface water, but as much of the water consists
of surface water drainage from streets, etc., it was not considered desirable
to recommend that the lake be used for bathing purposes.