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Environmental Health
The following is submitted by Mr G E Hayne
MAPHI MRSH Chief Public Health Inspector
This is the first full year s report which I have
been able to produce since taking up my
appointment in 1969, During the year a number
of changes have been made to the section s
approach to its duties and the effects of these
changes will not be positively apparent until
the position has settled and a full year worked.
In reviewing the work carried out during the
vear 1970 regard has been had to the department
of health and social security s circular 1/71
dated 1st Januarv 1971,
Water supply
The water supply to the borough is derived from
the River Thames and distributed either by the
Metropolitan Water Board or the South West
Suburban Water Company to all dwellings within
the borough.
Periodic samples of the water are taken for
examination and in all cases have been found
to be satisfactory. In addition I am grateful to
the director of water examination for the
Metropolitan Water Board for the following
information which relates to the water supplied
by that authority
1, (a) The supply was satisfactory both as to
(i) quality, and (ii) quantity throughout
1970,
(b) All new and repaired mains are disinfected
with chlorine after a predeterminea 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 the analytical 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 comsumer, Any sign of contamindion
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 1970 was 168 235,
(ii) No houses were permanently supplied
by stanapipe
(d) No artificial fluoride is being 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
River Thames derived from Hampton
works
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 the attached sheets
(b) On account of their hardness content and
alkaline reaction the Board s river and well
water supplies are shown to be not 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
He also advises that the average natural fluoride
content of the water supplied to the borough is 0,2
milligrammes per litre.
During the year 7 samples of drinking water were
taken from various taps throughout the borough
Of these samples 3 were considered to be not up
to the usually maintained standard Investigations
were carried out by the distributors which resulted
in further samples being satisfactory
In addition test samples were continued to be
taken from the flasks providing water for aircraft,
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