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water after the whitsun holiday, the following is an extract
from a letter sent by The Director of Water Examination,
Metropolitan Water Board in explanation:-
"As you know the water 3upply is derived from the
River Lee, stored in the Board's reservoirs at
Walthamstow and filtered and chlorinated at the Lee
Bridge Works. We have suffered from heavy growths of
algae in the reservoirs during the past weeks and
chlorination becomes difficult at these times.
Complaints of taste in the distribution system
became numerous immediately after the Whitsuntide
weekend although no taste was detectable in the water
leaving the works nor in samples examined here after
collection from complainants' premises. Thus the
taste and odour appeared extremely evanescent and when
I sent out a taster on to the district it was only
occasionally that he was able to detect a taste and
this disappeared very quickly.
There is no difference in the chemical content of
the water and it is difficult to explain the actual
cause of the trouble. Remedial measures were immediately
taken on the works to ensure that no residual chlorine
passed into supply and since then the number of complaints
has fallen rapidly.
I can assure you that at all times the water has been
maintained at a satisfactory level of hygienic quality
and the closest vigilance has been kept up on the
chlorination treatment and taste detection."
(ii) Drainage and Sewerage
Soil drainage from the greater part of the District is by
gravity to the main disposal works at Luxborough which were
modernised in 1938, considerably enlarged shortly after the
war, and are to be further extended by a scheme submitted
to the Ministry. Tenders for part of this scheme, the
construction of four additional primary digesters, should be
received early in 1959. Consideration is being given to extra
treatment of final effluent to maintain a higher standard of
purity as part of the scheme, if land can be acquired for the
purpose. In the meantime, the Works have operated reasonably
well and discharged a fair effluent.
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