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WATER SUPPLY
All the dwellings in the Borough are supplied from the Metropolitan Water
Board's mains, and I am indebted to Dr. E. Windle Taylor, Director of Water
Examination, Metropolitan Water Board, for the following report:
"1 a) The supply was satisfactory both as to (1) quality, and (ii) quantity throughout
1968.
b) All new and repaired mains are disinfected with chlorine; after a predetermined
period of contact the pipes are flushed out and refilled; samples of
water are then collected from these treated mains; and the mains are returned
to service only after results are found to be satisfactory.
The quality control from these laboratories is carried out by means of
daily sampling from sources of supply, from the treatment works or well
stations, from the distribution system, and through to the consumer. Any
sign of contamination or any other abnormality is immediately investigated.
c) (i) The Board has no record of the number of structurally separate dwellings
supplied in your area, but the population supplied direct according to the
Registrar General's estimates at 30th June, 1968 was 177,116.
(ii) No houses were permanently supplied by standpipe.
d) No artificial fluoride was added, and where the fluoride content is indicated
in the analyses it represents the naturally occurring fluoride in the water.
2 a) The supply was derived from the following works and pumping stations :
Hampton.
No new sources of supply were instituted and there were no changes to
the general scheme of supply in your area.
The number of samples collected and the bacteriological and chemical
analyses of the supply from the above sources after treatment are shown on
page 60.
b) On account of their hardness content and alkaline reaction the Board's river
and well water supplies are not considered to be plumbo-solvent. It should
however, be appreciated that all types of water pick up varying amounts of
metal from the material of water piping particularly when it is newly installed;
this applies to copper, zinc, iron and also to lead.
Special tests for lead have been carried out during 1968 on 100 premises
where a lead supply pipe is installed. The premises were chosen to give an
even distribution of samples throughout the whole of the Board's area. Two
samples were collected from each premises; one was the first running of water
standing in the lead pipe overnight and the other was a sample of water after
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A full physical examination is carried out in any case of doubt, and on all entrants
to teacher training colleges.
In addition, recommendations as to medical fitness to continue in the Council's
service were made following consultation with the family doctors concerned and
physical examinations.
The number involved over the year was: —
Total number of medical assessments 1,686 (1,610)
Total number of physical examinations 483 (490)
Total number examined for continued service 57 (59)
Total number found unfit for further service 14 (6)
The figures for 1967 are given in brackets.