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WATER SUPPLY
I am indebted to E. Windle Taylor, Esq., M.A., M.D., D.P.H., M.R.C.S.,
L.R.C.P., Barrister-at-Law, Director of Water Examination, Metropolitan
Water Board for the following report:—
The source of the water is the River Thames abstracted at the Wraysbury,
Walton and Laleham intakes and stored in the Thames Valley reservoirs at
Staines, Littleton and Walton. After storage the water is treated at the filtration
works at Hampton.
The water is filtered by means of primary or rapid filtration followed by
secondary or slow sand filtration. All the water is finally chlorinated before
it leaves the works. In order to provide adequate contact to ensure complete
action by the chlorine a contact tank is provided at the works. The water is
treated by a method of controlled superchlorination by maintaining a fixed
residual of free chlorine after a given period of contact. The chlorination process
is now entirely automatic both in regard to changes in quality as well as changes
in quantity of the filtered water.
Samples of water are collected at all stages of the purification process at
least five times each week and analysed at the laboratories of the Metropolitan
Water Board.
All new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine before being
restored to supply and samples of water from them are tested to establish that
its quality is up to that normally supplied.
The supply is not plumbo-solvent.
INDUSTRIAL HEALTH
Factories.
Most of the 375 factories in the Borough are engaged in light industries such
as the manufacture of electrical components, piston rings, aircraft parts,
nameplates, and bakery furniture. The number of persons employed in these
factories ranges from 500 in the largest to one or two in the smallest. All
factories are visited to see that proper sanitary accommodation is provided ;
those factories which do not use mechanical power are inspected for cleanliness,
avoidance of overcrowding, for adequate warmth and ventilation, and proper
drainage of floors. During 1955 the inspectors paid 412 visits to factories ;
in 6 factories the attention of the management had to be drawn to contraventions
of the regulations. The inspectors also paid 16 visits to out-workers'
premises.
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