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Examination, Metropolitan Water Board for the following report:
The source of 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 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 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.
The supply is not plumbo-solvent.
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.
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, name plates, 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 1957 the
inspectors paid 227 visits to factories.
GENERAL MATTERS
Housing
Further progress was made during the year in dealing with
unfit houses. The Minister of Housing and Local Government has held
a local inquiry with regard to a third clearance area (a group of
seven houses in Hampton Wick) and his decision is awaited.
In addition, demolition or closing orderswere made on eleven
individual unfit houses and an undertaking was given by an owner not
to use four premises for human habitation.
Rent Act, 1957
The Rent Act, 1957, came into operation in July and up to the
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