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SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BOROUGH
Water Supply and Water Services
Water is supplied to nearly the whole of the district by the South-West Suburban Water
Company. The Metropolitan Water Board supplies a small area in the southern part of the
district, and the Rickmansworth & Uxbridge Valley Water Company a small area in the
northern part. The supply is satisfactory, both in quality and quantity. Reports on sampling
carried out by the Metropolitan Water Board are issued from time to time. All inhabited
houses are supplied from public water mains and there are no standpipes in use on mains.
Under Section 35, Middlesex County Council Act, 1956, provision is made for immediate
action to be taken by the Local Authority to restore a water supply which has been
cut off for some default.
One sample of tap water was taken by Departmental staff by request of the householder
and found to be satisfactory.
Sewerage
Middlesex County Council provides the facilities for purification of sewage from the
Borough at the Mogden Sewage Works. The amount of congestion occurring in the drains
and sewers of the Borough, partly as a result of increase in the number of houses and shops
and partly due to the fact that improved knowledge of hygiene results in an increased use of
water for cleanliness, meant that problems have arisen of overcharging of sewers, and of
flooding during periods of heavy rain. Measures to relieve this have had to be taken, and the
latest position with regard to these improvements is as follows:—
The completion of the Northern Soil Relief Sewer was carried out in December, 1958,
flooding of High Street and The Broadway has thereby been relieved and conditions in South
Road have been improved as a result of the new relief scheme.
The construction of the Tentelow Lane Surface Water Outfall Sewer has just commenced.
This outfall sewer will discharge into the water course and thence into the River
Brent the surface water from the Havelock Road Housing Estate which has until now been
discharged into the Canal. It will also be able to take surface water from the surface water
sewers which will ultimately be provided in the parts of Tentelow Lane which at present
have no surface water sewer.
Tenders will shortly be invited for the provision of a soil sewer in part of Glade Lane
and part of Havelock Road. This will enable properties which at present have no main
drainage facilities to be connected to the public sewer.
The Council has accepted the Consultant's report on the proposed Southern Soil Relief
Sewer and the Consultants have been instructed to prepare an application to the Ministry of
Housing and Local Government for approval of the scheme. This proposed sewer will relieve
surcharging in the area of the Borough bounded by King Street and The Green in the East,
the Railway in the North and the Canal in the South. It will also improve conditions in
Norwood Road and Tentelow Lane.
Sanitary Inspections of the District
The total number of inspections of premises made during the year by the Public Health
Inspectors was 6,826. Table XII gives an analysis of the number and nature of such inspections.
The number of inspections showed a slight decrease in 1958.
It will be seen that there is a considerable rise in the figure for inspections of houses
under the Housing and Rent Acts. Some of the increase was due to inspections for Certificates
of Disrepair permitted to be granted before increases of rent could be obtained by
landlords of properties.
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